Effective Leadership: How To Be a Better Leader

Today, we will discuss the art of leadership and the characteristics of successful leaders. Let us discuss first what we mean by the term leader. A leader is someone who leads, organizes & commands a team. The leader gains the team’s support and guides them towards achieving their goals.

Being an efficient leader is not an effortless task; a leader must be ready to put his/her motives behind for the sake of a greater good. A leader must be familiar with the strengths & weaknesses of each & every one of his/her teammates so that he/she can allocate tasks accordingly. Here, let us put some light on the characteristics of a successful leader.

Characteristics of a Good Leader

An efficient leader must have the following qualities:

1. Self-Awareness

Self-awareness is a must-have quality for effective leadership. The leader needs to be continually aware of how members of his/her team are acting, what they are saying, and what message their nonverbal communiqué is sending.

Although they may not always realize it, team members constantly observe leaders and model their actions and reactions on how they see the leader react. A leader must be aware of his/her reactions, verbal/nonverbal responses to some particular situation, and how it will affect the team.

2. Relationship Building

To form an effective team, a leader must focus on relationship building. The leader must make his/her team members feel comfortable with him/her. The leader must establish a working relationship with each team member to understand their strengths and weaknesses, which is essential for effectively allocating roles and duties.

The relationship between a leader & his/her team member must be cordial so that any team member doesn’t feel threatened or embarrassed to tell the leader that he/she has made a blunder.

3. Display Humility

Humility is a word that is sometimes misunderstood. People who possess humility typically do not take pride in their work and accomplishments, nor do they exhibit a superiority complex. A humble leader will never take credit for the work of someone else.

A leader will always acknowledge how patience leads to success and the effort & success of his/her fellow team members. Some effective leaders also have the tendency to label his/her accomplishments as the result of teamwork.

4. Display Confidence

A true leader exudes confidence, whether it’s about the task at hand or about their team’s capabilities. People look for confidence from their leader.

The positive mindset and confidence motivate the team member to even go for Herculean tasks. The team reflects a leader’s confidence.

Tips for Becoming a Better Leader

Some people are born leaders; some are not. But like many skills, skills of leadership can be learned too. If we understand the basics of effective leadership, we can emerge as influential leaders and be ready to lead a team. Here are some ways we can apply to be better leaders.

1. Show Empathy

Showing empathy to your team members is a must for a leader. Sometimes, someone gets chosen as a leader only because of past experience & achievements, but devoid of the gift of empathy, that team will surely fall down.

If a team member makes a mistake and feels down, instead of yelling at them, remind them of their past successes, reassure them that everyone makes mistakes, and offer motivation to help them get back on track. Next time, the member will make his/her best effort to correct that mistake and complete the task successfully.

2. Be a Good Listener

Being a good listener goes hand in hand with being empathetic. Everyone wants to be heard, and a true leader always values the input of his/her team members.

To know & understand each of the members, listening to the team is quite necessary. All of them are unique & come with unique skill sets. By listening to the team, a leader finds out the motives, aspirations, strengths & weaknesses of team members & utilizes the knowledge for the benefit of the team.

3. Hone Their Skills

A good leader always tries to bring out the best in his/her team members by sharpening their skills & experiences. He/she always motivates his/her team members to strengthen their skills for the benefit of the team & their personal development.

4. Learn How to Handle Failure

We are bound to make mistakes, and as a result, failure will strike. A true leader must know how to handle failure without dampening the team spirit. Anger and finger-pointing are counterproductive.

A true leader always handles failure gracefully; he/she tries to find out the root cause of the failure & invites input from team members to know how to avoid that in the future.

Read More: 8 Key Characteristics Of Crisis Leadership

5. Be a Team Player

Sometimes, appointed leaders have the tendency to assume the role of supervisor or boss. That is quite undesirable. A true leader must possess the qualities of a team player. He/she has to participate along with his/her team to complete a task, not to boss around.

By being a team player, a leader provides the necessary motivation and morale boosts to his or her team members, which is important for the accomplishment.

6. Provide Reward & Recognition

After successful completion of a task by a team member, never forget to reward him/her & acknowledge his/her credit in front of the team. Everyone craves some recognition; when the team members see that you are acknowledging the efforts and contributions of a member, they will also be motivated to do better.

7. Ask For Feedback About Your Leadership

Asking your team for feedback on your leadership shows you want to connect with them and are open to their honest opinions. Through their feedback, you can be aware of your shortcomings, point out your flaws & try to fix them.

Inviting feedback from fellow team members is a wonderful way to show your open-mindedness.

Conclusion

As the saying goes, “A true leader doesn’t create followers; they create more leaders.” While leading a team, we need to always remember that. Despite seeking submission from the team, one must seek performance & creativity from them.

The most effective leaders in history have collaborated closely with their followers and demonstrated to the world the qualities of a good leader. They defined leadership.

We hope you enjoy today’s post.