Crucial Leadership Characteristics To Get The Best From Every Employee

Being a good leader isn’t always easy, and sometimes it takes a lot of compromise, but when you consider that according to Fast Company, a happy workforce is 12% more productive, you can see the real life benefits of working on this to get a better outcome for everyone involved.

So what constitutes as a ‘good’ leader? Well according to research, the following qualities are the most appreciated:

Honesty

Being truthful, even when you have made a mistake, will make people respect and admire you more. They will want to work harder for you, because they know that your word can be counted upon. It is one of the most important considerations for effective team building. Do not underestimate the importance of an honest leader.

Focus

If you want to be one of the most effective leaders possible, you need to be able to maintain focus. There are many distractions in the professional arena, and it can be easy to get sidetracked and allow outside factors influence decision making. If you remain focused, you will be better able to make the best decisions for all stakeholders. Focus is one of the most crucial leadership characteristics that many often underestimate the importance of.

Delegation

By not taking on everything yourself, you will not only have more time for everyone else, but your staff will see that you respect and trust them. They want responsibility, especially when it’s been earned, and it’ll be seen as a recognition of their hard work. Delegating non-essential tasks to a virtual employee or your assistant is the best way to show respect for your employees’ abilities.

Communicate

Feedback and explanations are key to keeping everyone in the know, which will help people to understand their aims and goals. People want to know how they are doing to see where they stand to help them move forward. To improve business communication skills, keep everyone updated regularly with emails, newsletters and more.

Commitment

If your staff see you getting your hands dirty, then they will be more likely to work harder. If they understand that you are willing to muck in with them, you will become a part of the team, rather than head of the hierarchy.

Positivity

Always focusing on the problems that arise and the mistakes people make, will cause a negative attitude around your office, and a fall in productivity. Enthusiasm and confidence will help everyone be motivated in the best way possible. If you have used positive meeting openers, you know this is true.

Creativity

Think outside the box and try new things to draw in new business. It can also be a lot of fun too – especially when you listen to the ideas of others. There is no harm in trying something a little unique, especially in such a competitive market.

Intuition

Awareness of what’s going on around you makes people respect you more. They will see that you understand what’s going on, so your opinion will become more valid. If you want to become a top CEO, intuition is arguably the most important characteristic.

Tolerance

You will need to work alongside people who are very different to you and have varied attitudes and ethics, which you will need to bear with. You’ll also need to react well to start up failure and setbacks because everyone else will be looking to you for cues. The way that you behave will impact on others greatly, so always bear that in mind.

If this is something that you are particularly worried about, getting an inspirational workplace leadership assessment can help you to manage your company that much more effectively. Having an outsider perspective from an expert can assist you in seeing things that you can’t because you’re too close to the problem. If you want that boost of productivity, it might be worth really looking into, to ensure that you’re getting the best out of everyone – including yourself.

Image from http://www.dynamicbusiness.com.au/small-business-resources/human-resources-blogs/10-traits-every-leader-should-have-15052013.html