In order to become an effective leader, a person must acquire a number of skills and develop a number of personal characteristics that will allow a person to call himself a "Leader" and find recognition in society.
It is worth noting that some characteristics of a true leader are given by nature, while others need to be learned.
An effective team leader's characteristics inspire the team's trust and respect and drive productivity in the workplace.
But of course, personal characteristics are not enough to become a successful leader. Managing people and leading them requires a wide range of skills. The good news is that all leadership qualities can be mastered and developed in oneself.
In our article, we will talk about what traits you need to develop in yourself to become an effective leader, as well as what you need to learn to effectively manage teams.
The main qualities of good team leaders
- The success of a leader is the success of his team
A leader is not successful if he does not use his skills to make his team effective. After all, the main role of a leader is not to achieve one's recognition, but to help the team and team members to reveal their potential and achieve their goals.
Effective leaders focus on team development. This is the development not only of, for example, professional qualities but also of personal development.
A good leader is made by his team, so he needs constant feedback from his team. This feedback will enable the manager to understand what needs to be improved in his management style and what to work on.
- A leader must have certain personal characteristics
Decency and honesty are critical characteristics of a good leader. Although very often it happens that, unfortunately, the bosses do not meet these characteristics. Many employees of companies in the USA in various surveys indicate that their managers are not honest and decent.
But this has its consequences. Most often, employees left such companies, and accordingly, these leaders lose their results and efficiency.
Therefore, dishonest and lying team leaders are often left with nothing. And if they don't begin to deal with their shortcomings, they risk failing again and again, because these are completely unacceptable characteristics of a successful leader.
In addition, talented group leaders must have developed empathy and compassion. After all, repeated surveys and studies among employees of many US companies have shown that a successful team leader can achieve better results by approaching conflict resolution with sincere human emotions.
Compassion is defined as the motivation to help others in their physical, mental, or emotional suffering, while empathy is the ability to recognize the emotions of another. In short, if you are aware of how someone on your team is feeling and use that awareness to help them, you are leading with compassion and empathy. Use this management style to focus your attention on that team member and help them achieve a common goal.
- A good leader appreciates team members and worthy rewards them
Pay your people what they are worth. When you set your employees' salaries, ensure their pay is consistent with what other companies in your industry and geographic area are paying. Remember: 26 percent of engaged employees say they would leave their current job for just a 5 percent increase in pay. Don't lose great people because you're underpaying them. Provide them with a pleasant place to work. Everyone wants to work in an office environment that is clean and stimulating, and that makes them feel good instead of bad. You don't have to spend a lot of money to make an office a more pleasant place to be.
- Good leaders are true to the vision
Obsession with a vision drives all great leaders. It is something more than a goal and the meaning of the vision is divorced from the company's mission.
But before leaders can inspire others with their vision, they must develop it, define it, and be committed to it.
The vision becomes the foundation for further actions and strategies.
Therefore, the leader must still be confident enough in himself and in the effectiveness of his vision to make important decisions.
- Talented leaders are self-confident and open to self-discovery
Daniel Goleman in 1998 with his research on emotional intelligence, found that our knowledge of ourselves is essential to improving our management skills. Only when we know our own strengths and weaknesses can we sincerely embrace the same in our team. Self-confidence is a personality trait that is important for leadership, and it comes from many sources. Education, previous experience, and authority in the position can all contribute to self-confidence. Combined with self-awareness, skill development can address knowledge gaps to increase self-confidence in a balanced way that leads to more effective leadership.
- Successful team leaders are good speakers and even better listeners
To be an effective leader, you must be a strong speaker, an ability that few are born with, but anyone can learn. Always prepare what you are going to say, whether your audience is 1,000 people or just one person. It also helps to be an attentive listener. Great leaders can make you feel like the most important person in the room because they really want to hear you.
Seeking and listening to feedback from your team is a powerful way to build self-esteem in yourself and your team. By listening, you can build a sense of self-worth in your team, which will lead to more self-confidence in your team members. Therefore, a good leader must develop in himself the skill of both the art of oratory and the art of listening.
- Successful leaders should take care of their mental health and learn how to manage stress
Leaders often make work their priority. They put family and friends second, for example, and self-care third or even lower. To be successful, leaders must make time for self-care and personal well-being. This can be done before your mental or physical health is affected. Closely related to the prevention of your psychological health is the importance of support from your team. After all, it can be difficult and stressful for you when you make important decisions on your own, motivate everyone, and set goals.
Support from other managers or senior executives may be available in your organization – if not, consider creating a board of advisors. If the possibility of creating such a community is low, then think about a professional mentor or business coach.
- Effective leaders are lifelong learners
Being a successful team leader takes a lot more than a promotion and a little charm. Leadership encompasses a wide range of skills that some of us are born with, but all of us can learn.
A true leader must keep his brain in good shape. He must follow new trends in the world and innovative solutions. Also, a good leader should look for various ways to improve the efficiency of his team and so on. To become a successful leader, you must accept that learning and self-discovery will take place throughout your life.
How does a successful leader motivate a team?
As we mentioned above, the level of effectiveness of a leader determines the level of effectiveness of his team.
When you combine the energy, knowledge, and skills of a motivated group of people, you and your team can achieve the most global goals.
Consider these ways to keep your team members motivated and implement the ones that work best for you.
1. Promote cooperation in a team
According to much research, approximately 40% of employees do not feel that their contribution to the joint success of the company is valued. Encourage your team members to fully participate in the project, allow them to express their thoughts and visions, and support initiative.
Ask questions, listen to their answers and, if possible, implement their solutions.
This will make employees feel important and valued.
2. Create and increase happiness in your company
Happy employees are enthusiastic and positive team members, and their attitude is contagious. Keep track of whether your people are satisfied with their work, with their employer, and with you.
3. Don't punish your employees for failure
We all make mistakes. It is a part of human existence. The main thing is to learn valuable lessons from these mistakes so as not to repeat them again. When your team members make honest mistakes, don't punish them, instead encourage them to try again.
4. Set clear goals
As a leader, your job is to work with your team members to establish clear goals. And once you do, make sure everyone knows exactly what those goals are, their relative priority, and the team's role in achieving them.
5. Don't micromanage
Nobody likes a boss who is constantly looking over his shoulder and rethinking every decision of his team. In fact, 38% of employees in one survey reported that they would rather take a job they dislike than sit next to a boss who micromanages them. Give your people clear goals, then give them the opportunity and freedom to find the best way to achieve them.
6. Avoid useless meetings
Meetings can be an incredible waste of time - the average professional spends 4 hours in unproductive meetings each week. Make a list of your meetings and think about which ones are really important and which ones can be really a waste of time.
Invite only the people who really need to participate, start the meeting on time, and then end it as quickly as possible.
Summary
Being a true leader is not easy. In order to achieve quality results in a leadership role, you need to comprehensively develop yourself and study throughout your life. And the ability to manage teams is a real art.
But if you understand that this is your calling, then everything will definitely work out.
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Posted on Oct 19, 2022 by Lillia
