Kim DeKlein - OMAF; Meg Penstone - OMAF

http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/rural/facts/94-081.htm

Introduction

You've heard the expression "He/She is a born leader." Are all leaders born? Or can leadership be learned?

This Factsheet takes a close look at the concept of leadership. It will give leaders who volunteered, were elected or appointed, a number of guidelines to help them effectively lead their groups.

Are Leaders Born Or Made?

Leadership can be learned. We all have leadership potential, just as we have some ability to sing or run. Some people may be better than others, but each of us has a starting point to build on with training and practice. You do not have to be officially designated as a leader of a group to be an effective leader.

Leadership is a process that helps a group to achieve its goals. Leaders and group members can mutually influence each other's ideas.

"The person who exhibits leadership is ... someone that makes things happen that would not happen otherwise."(A.D. Edwards and D. Jones)

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What Makes A Leader?

Leaders should be well organized and have made time in their lives for their organization. Leadership requires commitment.

Leadership is a mix of knowledge, values, skills, and behaviours. Each of us has beliefs about what characteristics an effective leader should possess. Different groups will also have different beliefs or values about what "makes" an effective leader than other groups have. Your group will assess your leadership, and your success may depend on how well your leadership characteristics match those that they value.

It is important, then, for a leader to know his/her own abilities, knowledge and values and how others perceive them. For example, if "trust" is a quality which is highly valued by your group, then it is important for you to be viewed as a trustworthy person. By knowing your own strengths and weaknesses, you can also develop a plan to work on those areas you may wish to improve.

"Recognizing strengths and compensating for weaknesses represents the first step in achieving positive self regard."(Warren Bennis & Burt Nanus)

A successful leader makes an effort to learn and practise skills. Some of the more essential components are: the knowledge and understanding of specific tasks; the skills and ability to communicate, build teams, vision, and take risks; and, a value for individuals, the group, and its responsibilities.

Knowledge and Understanding

General knowledge about the organization, how a meeting is run, and the organization's business is essential.

For example, an effective leader knows the purpose of the group or organization (why it exists), its goals (long-term plan), and objectives (short-term plans).

He/She should understand parliamentary procedure, the role of the chairperson, and the purpose and design of an effective agenda.

In addition, an awareness of the subject that the group is involved with is important. If you are a director of the Widget Association, you should know a little bit about widgets.

Skills and Ability Communication

We tend to think of a good communicator as a good speaker. This is only partly true. Good communicators can express themselves clearly and with confidence. However, a key and often forgotten component of effective communication is LISTENING.

A good listener hears not only facts but also feelings. Paraphrasing or restating the person's message in shorter terms is a useful technique. It helps to clarify the message, and it shows the speaker that you have heard what they have said. "So you're saying that I should repeat what was just said, only in my own words, eh?"

"Successful leaders, we have found, are great askers, and they do pay attention."(Warren Bennis & Burt Nanus)

Teamwork

A leader cannot achieve success alone. The old notion that a leader is "the top of the pyramid" is false. An effective leader is involved and in touch with group members. He/she enables them to act by providing technical assistance, emotional support and vision.

Effective leaders insist on the support and assistance of those affected by the project. They think in terms of "we" not "I."

"The few projects in my study that disintegrated did so because the [person] failed to build a coalition of supporters and collaborators."(R. Moss Kanter)

Visioning

A leader also develops a vision of the organization's future. It is important to communicate this vision to members of the group, allowing them to respond and become part of the visioning process. You should build a vision with others. Visioning is a collaborative effort! Your group will grow and prosper by building commitment to a vision or dream that is shared by all. Telling others outside of the organization about the vision is important to the process of developing your own commitment to it.

"Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world."(Joel Arthur Baker)

Risk Taking

A leader is a risk taker and an innovator. New ideas may come from yourself from others in the organization, or from the community. A leader should recognize good ideas, actively support them, and encourage action. One may call them early adapters of innovation.

"Leaders are pioneers - people who are willing to step out into the unknown."(Olle Bovin)

Just think of the first time you played baseball. You probably were not perfect at hitting the ball or running the bases. Leaders are learners and must be able to learn from their mistakes as well as their successes. So must they encourage their group members and support them through their mistakes. Without mistakes, there is no learning or growth.

All changes and innovations involve risk and challenge.

Value in Others: Recognition and Encouragement

An effective leader must take the time to recognize and reward people for what they've done. Individuals may become tired, bored or frustrated with a particular task or goal. They are often tempted to give up. A leader must provide the encouragement to motivate members to carry on.

Recognition comes in many forms; it may be given to individuals or to groups. It may be as simple as a word of encouragement: "You did a great job, thanks." Whatever the method, give credit and praise when and where it is due. And do not forget to reward yourself. Celebrate once a goal or milestone has been reached.

"Good thoughts not delivered mean squat."(Ken Blanchard)

Showing a genuine concern and respect for your work, your people and your community may be the best strategy in reaching your goal of outstanding leadership.

Leadership Styles

A leader may use different styles in carrying out his/her role. Many different theories of leadership have been developed through years of research with groups and organizations. "Situational Leadership" is a very popular "framework" to follow. It explains that the style a leader chooses depends mostly upon the group's level of readiness. That is, how willing and able the members are to take responsibility as a group. Situational Leadership recognizes that the leader must be flexible and the group members are the most important factor.

The willingness of a group relates to its attitude. If a group is willing, then it has the confidence, commitment and motivation to accomplish a specific job or activity. A leader who provides support and encouragement to a group is demonstrating a "maintenance" or "relationship" behaviour.

Being able (or having ability) means that the group has the knowledge, skill and experience to accomplish a particular task. When a leader explains what each member is to do, as well as when, where, and how tasks are to be accomplished, he or she is demonstrating task-oriented behaviour.

According to Situational Leadership, the appropriate style depends on the combinations of "willingness and ability" in a group. In general, the more willing and able the group, the less directive or task-oriented should be the leader. The four different styles and most appropriate situation for each are described below.

Leadership Qualities – What They Are And Why You Need Them

http://whatisleadership.org/leadership-qualities-what-they-are-and-why-you-need-them/

When it comes to leadership qualities there are quite a few of them. In society, people of such qualities are few and are difficult to be found. Out of these few people various leaders emerge. Though lots of leaders emerge, many of them fail in a short while due to lack of these qualities. In case you want to be a leader and stay as a leader what you need to do is to cultivate these leadership traits. You could become a good leader effortlessly when you do so.

Good communication skills are essential for a good leader. It comes to the top of leadership qualities because even in other qualities one has to educate his team mates. Without good communication skills he will not be able to do so. When a leader doesn’t have the skills on communication, only a few who know about his qualities will accept him as a leader. Therefore, good communication skills are a must for a good leader. When you look at the successful leaders

in your community, your company or in your country, you will find that all good leaders are good at communication.

Honesty is a basic requirement of a good leader. Anyone will be happy to follow an honest leader. Being honest is not enough. Your team mates should also know that you are honest. Therefore, not only you should be honest but also you need to show others that you are honest with your actions. When you are honest, it is easier for you to motivate your team on achieving goals. When you always practice what you preach and stick to your word, your team mates will accept you as a person with leadership qualities. Unless you are able to instill this thinking in the members of your team, it is not easy for you to lead that team.

Consistency is also one of the important leadership qualities. You need to be your own self all the time. You must not change your ways. Once you become a leader you need to think that you became a leader through these traits. Therefore, you must not change them. Your team mates do not want you to change. However, there is no harm if you correct yourself where you think you are wrong. Other than that you must not be inconsistent.

A good leader should be able to stand against his critics. You must think that your critics are helping you more than those who are praising you because they help you identify your weakness which you are unable to find. Being able to stand against criticism is one of the most important leadership qualities. You must always think that people criticize only successful people. However, you must also try to get clues from your critics on where you need to improve.

A good leader is a blessing to an institution, to a community or to a country. They need to be groomed. Therefore you must try to be a good leader all the time. In order to do so, you need to cultivate leadership qualities on a continual basis.

Introduction

 Eve O'Neill

http://www.focus.com/briefs/top-10-leadership-qualities/

Leadership can be defined as one's ability to get others to willingly follow. Every organization needs leaders at every level. Leaders can be found and nurtured if you look for the following character traits.

A leader with vision has a clear, vivid picture of where to go, as well as a firm grasp on what success looks like and how to achieve it. But it’s not enough to have a vision; leaders must also share it and act upon it. Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric Co., said, "Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision and relentlessly drive it to completion."

A leader must be able to communicate his or her vision in terms that cause followers to buy into

it. He or she must communicate clearly and passionately, as passion is contagious.

A good leader must have the discipline to work toward his or her vision single-mindedly, as well as to direct his or her actions and those of the team toward the goal. Action is the mark of a leader. A leader does not suffer “analysis paralysis” but is always doing something in pursuit of the vision, inspiring others to do the same.

 

Analysis

Integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and on the inside. Such an individual can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values, even when it might be expeditious to do so. A leader must have the trust of followers and therefore must display integrity.

Honest dealings, predictable reactions, well-controlled emotions, and an absence of tantrums and harsh outbursts are all signs of integrity. A leader who is centered in integrity will be more approachable by followers.

Dedication means spending whatever time or energy is necessary to accomplish the task at hand. A leader inspires dedication by example, doing whatever it takes to complete the next step toward the vision. By setting an excellent example, leaders can show followers that there are no nine-to-five jobs on the team, only opportunities to achieve something great.

Magnanimity means giving credit where it is due. A magnanimous leader ensures that credit for successes is spread as widely as possible throughout the company. Conversely, a good leader takes personal responsibility for failures. This sort of reverse magnanimity helps other people feel good about themselves and draws the team closer together. To spread the fame and take the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.

Leaders with humility recognize that they are no better or worse than other members of the team. A humble leader is not self-effacing but rather tries to elevate everyone. Leaders with humility also understand that their status does not make them a god. Mahatma Gandhi is a role model for Indian leaders, and he pursued a “follower-centric” leadership role.

Openness means being able to listen to new ideas, even if they do not conform to the usual way of thinking. Good leaders are able to suspend judgment while listening to others’ ideas, as well as accept new ways of doing things that someone else thought of. Openness builds mutual respect and trust between leaders and followers, and it also keeps the team well supplied with new ideas that can further its vision.

Creativity is the ability to think differently, to get outside of the box that constrains solutions. Creativity gives leaders the ability to see things that others have not seen and thus lead followers

in new directions. The most important question that a leader can ask is, “What if … ?” Possibly the worst thing a leader can say is, “I know this is a dumb question ... ”

Fairness means dealing with others consistently and justly. A leader must check all the facts and hear everyone out before passing judgment. He or she must avoid leaping to conclusions based on incomplete evidence. When people feel they that are being treated fairly, they reward a leader with loyalty and dedication.

Assertiveness is not the same as aggressiveness. Rather, it is the ability to clearly state what one expects so that there will be no misunderstandings. A leader must be assertive to get the desired results. Along with assertiveness comes the responsibility to clearly understand what followers expect from their leader.

Many leaders have difficulty striking the right amount of assertiveness, according to a study in the February 2007 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, published by the APA (American Psychological Association). It seems that being underassertive or overassertive may be the most common weakness among aspiring leaders.

A sense of humor is vital to relieve tension and boredom, as well as to defuse hostility. Effective leaders know how to use humor to energize followers. Humor is a form of power that provides some control over the work environment. And simply put, humor fosters good camaraderie.

Intrinsic traits such as intelligence, good looks, height and so on are not necessary to become a leader. Anyone can cultivate the proper leadership traits.

Compiled by the Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group:

Honest — Display sincerity, integrity, and candor in all your actions. Deceptive behavior will not inspire trust.

Competent — Base your actions on reason and moral principles. Do not make decisions based on childlike emotional desires or feelings.

Forward-looking — Set goals and have a vision of the future. The vision must be owned throughout the organization. Effective leaders envision what they want and how to get it. They habitually pick priorities stemming from their basic values.

Inspiring — Display confidence in all that you do. By showing endurance in mental, physical, and spiritual stamina, you will inspire others to reach for new heights. Take charge when necessary.

Intelligent — Read, study, and seek challenging assignments. Fair-minded — Show fair treatment to all people. Prejudice is the enemy of justice.

Display empathy by being sensitive to the feelings, values, interests, and well-being of others.

Broad-minded — Seek out diversity. Courageous — Have the perseverance to accomplish a goal, regardless of the seemingly

insurmountable obstacles. Display a confident calmness when under stress. Straightforward — Use sound judgment to make a good decisions at the right time.

Imaginative — Make timely and appropriate changes in your thinking, plans, and methods. Show creativity by thinking of new and better goals, ideas, and solutions to problems. Be innovative!

Top references for leadership qualities- Feedback

Integrity

Creativity

Communication

Sense of humor

Humility

Decisiveness

Motivation

Assertiveness

Courage

Example Leadership Skills List:10 Great Leader Qualities

This page contains example leadership skills, a sample list of leadership skills that good leaders possess.

You can use this example of leadership skills to your advantage for the purposes of:

1. guiding your own leadership behavior and learning;

2. aligning team members around organizational strategy and values;

3. training others;

4. building unity in a time of change.

If you use this information for training or in a group meeting, the following are suggested for how to do so effectively for your group:

• Take one quality listed below and have a 15-30 minute discussion on it in each of your next 10 staff meetings

• Assign one quality to each leader or pair in your group and ask them to make a short presentation on their item to the whole group; encourage group comments and discussion from everyone

• Have a general discussion on how each of these qualities is (or is not) demonstrated in your organization

Each definition in the list below contains discussion questions to start your group's discussion about that leadership quality.

The more you make such discussions and "mini-training" part of your routine, the more your leaders will focus on and develop these skills.

Ten Basic Skills of Outstanding Leadership

• Integrity

• Vision/strategy

• Communication

• Relationships

• Persuasion

• Adaptability

• Teamwork

• Coaching and Development

• Decision-making

• Planning

Definition and Explanation of the Example Leadership Skills Listhttp://www.what-are-good-leadership-skills.com/example-leadership-skills.html

Integrity

How deep are your convictions on the things you believe in? What do you believe in SO MUCH about your work that you will stand up to anyone about it? How much are you willing to compromise your important beliefs? To what extent do your behavior and tne choices you make align with your guiding values and principles?

Integrity means honesty and more. It refers to having strong internal guiding principles that one does not compromise. It means treating others as you would wish to be treated.

Many experts believe that a solid sense of right and wrong and strong guiding principles are the most essential and basic of all leadership skills or characteristics. Integrity promotes trust, and not much is accomplished without trust.

Integrity is a skill to the extent that we see it in action. But it goes much deeper than surface actions. It is based on one’s guiding beliefs and values, and is an important example of an essential leadership quality.

Integrity (or lack thereof) is reflected in thinking, attitudes, and actions. People can’t directly see your level of integrity, but they judge it pretty accurately on a gut level based on your actions and your words.

Vision/strategy

Can you see, do you see where your department, team, and organization are going? How often do you talk about the ways in which what you are doing in your area are related to the overall mission? Do you think and speak inspiringly about what the organization is doing and about the future of the organization?

A leader must have a clear idea where his or her organization and unit are going beyond this month’s results or this year’s budget. Where is it going in the long term? Even tactical leaders must be clear about this and need to refer frequently to the vision, mission, and values of the organization in their communications with others. Vision is another example of an essential leadership quality.

Communication

How much and how willingly do you speak out and keep information flowing? Conversely, can you keep confidential information private? How often can and do you listen more than you speak in conversations with your employees? How would you assess your communication skills with each of your employees? How do you handle “bad news” when you receive it?

The chief complaint of employees in nearly every organization of all types, whether large or small from any industry segment, is “lack of communication.” Communication in the context of leadership refers to both interpersonal communications between the leader and followers and the overall flow of needed information throughout the organization.

Leaders need to learn to be proficient in both the communication that informs and seeks out information (gives them a voice) and the communication that connects interpersonally with others. Communication is another example leadership skill that must be cultivated by all leaders.

Relationships

What is the level of trust and respectful feelings you have with each of your employees? With each of your peers? How easy or difficult is it for you to initiate new relationships? Deepen existing relationships?

Networking (the art of social “schmoozing”) is also a relationship skill. Relationships develop from good interpersonal and group communication skills but relationship skills also go deeper.

A leader who likes dealing with people issues, who can initiate and deepen relationships with others, has a great leadership advantage. This is a leader who can build a team and achieve impressive results.

This kind of leadership is based on personal power (the right kind of power), not position power. Relationship-building is an example of an essential leadership quality.

Persuasion

How persuasive and influential are you? Under what circumstances can you persuade others to your point of view? To what extent do people value your opinion and follow your lead?

The ability to influence others and cause them to move in a particular direction is a highly important skill in leadership. In fact, leadership is often defined as the ability to persuade or influence others to do something they might not have done without the leader’s persuasion.

Your ability to be persuasive is directly related to how much people trust you and how good your communication and relationships are. Persuasion (also called influence) is a good example of an essential leadership skill.

Adaptability

To what degree can you relinquish rigidity? Control? When is it easy and when difficult for you to embrace change? How do you react when things don’t go as planned?

Adaptability and flexibility in not being bound by a plan are important success factors in leadership today. The leader must move easily from one set of circumstances (the plan) to the next (the plan is not going as expected) and take them all in stride, even when the circumstances are unexpected.

The good leader has to embrace change and see it as opportunity. The leadership skill of adaptability is another example of a critical skill.

Teamwork

To what extent do you value working cooperatively as part of a group? How do you promote teamwork among those you lead? In what ways do you work collaboratively with your peers? How do you handle team conflict?

No one person can do it all. That’s why a team, comprised of others with different skill sets, is essential. A leader must know how to build and nurture such a team. A good leader knows when to be a leader and when to be a follower.

The best leaders are good followers when that's what is needed. Building teamwork is another essential leadership skill example.

Coaching and Development

How do you feel about developing others around you? How do you encourage, nurture, and build the capacity of those you lead? How easy or hard is it for you to set your needs aside and share control with others? Can/do you delegate well?

Developing others is an important role for a leader. Encouraging others to expand their capabilities and take on additional assignments is part of the leader’s responsibility. Leaders who feel threatened by the capabilities of others are challenged in this area. Coaching and development are essential skills all leaders must cultivate.

Decision-making

How comfortable are you with having to make the “final decision” on things? Do you have any tendency to decide too quickly without due consideration or, conversely, to gather data, analyze and ponder endlessly and be unable to decide? In what areas do you struggle with making firm decisions and standing up for what you believe?

A leader must be able to wade through information, comprehend what’s relevant, make a well-considered decision, and take action based on that decision. Making decisions too quickly or too slowly will impede your leadership effectiveness. Decisiveness is another example of an essential leadership quality.

Planning

How easy is it for you to put together plans for activities and projects, including contingency plans (what will happen IF…)? How easily are you able to focus your attention and stick to your plan, yet without being rigid about it? How do you decide when to push ahead or, instead, to modify your plan?

Planning involves making certain assumptions about the future and taking actions in the present to positively influence that future. To plan means to focus more strategically. Plans are important

for guidance and focus, but plans can seldom be cast in stone. Planning is an excellent and necessary example leadership skill.

Leadership Qualities ListThis article will provides you a leadership qualities list. All the qualities mentioned in this article are a must if you wish to be a good leader, so read on...

Leadership is defined as the "process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Every strata of society has a leader, rather needs a leader. Leader is a person a group of people, whether it is an organization or a group of kids, can turn to. It is a leader who can guide people, it is this person whom we can trust. A leader obviously has different qualities than rest of the people, which is why he stands out. He has more knowledge, or rather is more aware than rest of the people, he can keep his cool in adverse situations, he knows what should be done next and most importantly, he is dedicated for the welfare of his people. That's a lot of responsibility, isn't it! And that is the reason why it is said that leaders are born, obviously it is so difficult to inoculate all these qualities in oneself! Jokes apart, leadership is truly a challenging responsibility. But this responsibility can be eased if one knows exactly what one is expected to do. The following leadership qualities list will inform you about it. Following the leadership qualities list, is a write up explaining some of the most important qualities of leader, and why they are important.

List of Leadership Qualities and Skills

Integrity Vision/strategy Communication Relationships Persuasion Adaptability Magnanimity Motivation Teamwork

Sense of humor Coaching and development Decision-making Creativity Planning Empathy Dedication

This was a leadership qualities list, let us now see what are some other important leadership traits, that are necessary for effective leadership.

Leadership Attributes

Readiness to be a Scapegoat: Whatever people may say, how much ever they try to glorify leadership, the fact that every leader is a scapegoat, will never change. A leader is the person who is responsible for the group. He is the one who has to guide the group members, tell them what has to be done and how they can approach it. After doing so much of work, if even a single member does some mistake, it is the leader who has to take the responsibility. A leader cannot let his teammates to be blamed, even if it is their mistake. No doubt this is a tough leadership skill, but that is the reason why a leader is different from others! But on the brighter side, a leader also gets the opportunity to take credit for his group's success, it is the leader who is praised for guiding the group well.

Humility: This is one of the effective leadership quality. Though leaders have the maximum responsibility, and though they are the ones who work harder than anyone else in the group, a leader needs to be down-to-earth. He should not think of himself as someone special, he should understand that he is just a leader and not the owner of his people. Only if the leader is humble, people will approach him. It is the duty of a leader to motivate his people, and only if a leader is a humble will he be able to guide and support his group members.

Clarity: A leader should have clarity in his work and behavior. He does not need to discuss his personal life and personal problems, but he should be open about his work related to his group. Whatever step he is planning to take, he should discuss it with his fellow mates and only then proceed. The same applies to problems. Whatever problem the group is facing, the leader should make others aware of it, not necessarily the entire group, but at least a few trusted members. If the leader deals with all the problems on his own, the group members will either feel discriminated or they will become irresponsible because they won't have any responsibility.

Unprejudiced: This is one of the most important quality that a group leader should possess. He should not be prejudiced towards any member of the group. He should also not be judgmental. A leader's behavior should be the same towards everyone, no one should be favored extensively. Even if he had some bad experiences with any member in the past, he should not let that affect the present situation. He should be cautious, but should not show any negative feelings towards that person.

This was a complete leadership qualities list. Now you know the good and bad qualities in you, in terms of leadership. So without wasting much time, start inoculating the qualities of a leader you do not have and getting rid of the qualities that are not mentioned in this list of leadership qualities.By Girija Shinde

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/leadership-qualities-list.htmlPublished: 7/30/2010

Good Leadership

What are the characteristics of a good leader? Do you think you possess these qualities? I have noticed similar patterns in many leaders that I think are great traits. Also, several studies have been conducted on the characteristics of good leadership that are worth mentioning. It would be great to have all these qualities, but not all leaders do.

The following is my list of the characteristics of a good leader:

1.Vision

Most good leaders have great vision. They know where they want to go and they know how to motivate people to believe in this same vision they have for their community, country and their lives. They view things as what they could be and not what they are.

2. Wise

Being a good leader usually means that they have to make critical calls at assorted points in their organization. Having the knowledge to make the correct call is crucial in making sure the organization is successful. Good leaders are strategic, wise and perceptive.

3. Passionate

Good leaders are very passionate people. They're intensely obsessed in whatever they are focused on. It could be business, sports or a hobby, these individuals are intensely focused. They operate with such a high level of passion that they get consumed in it. They take action!

4. Compassion

Good leaders have compassion for their supporters or employees. They have great coaching and development skills. While these leaders have goals to accomplish, they consistently care for the individuals that support them. They're not selfish individuals only thinking about their own wants and needs. Most have a heart for the people that follow them.

5. Charismatic

Most good leaders are captivating. They're charming individuals and they tend to draw people in

with their personalities. It could be in the way they talk, the way they carry themselves. They are excellent a building relationships and demanding performance from their peers. These individuals have an X-factor that you are drawn to.

6. Great Communicators

Good leaders are usually great orators and persuaders. They're very comfortable with public speaking and are very inspiring people. It isn't surprising that they can develop a good following with this communication ability.

7. Persistent

Good leaders are determined in attaining their goals. They know that reaching their destination can be filled with problems. Notwithstanding, they see that the advantages of attaining their goals is larger than that of the problems that occurred. This makes them intensely persistent individuals.

8. Integrity

Good leaders mean what they say. They have integrity. They're individuals who keep their guarantees and they do not play the old political games that plenty of others do. People find them reliable and as such are dedicated to them.

9. Daring

They are bold. Winston Churchill states that courage is the virtue on which all others virtue rest on. Good leaders are bold enough to chase after their dreams. Although the fears are real, a daring leader pursues them regardless of the fears that exist.

10. Disciplined

Most good leaders are very controlled in the pursuit of their goals. Where most individuals would be simply distracted or dejected, good leaders discipline their minds to keep focused and steady regardless of the situation.

There you have it, 10 characteristics of good leadership. Not all good leaders carry every single trait. Also, you may feel you are strong in some areas and lacking in others. But just remember, it isn't about being perfect, but understanding where you are lacking. Make an effort to build on these characteristics of good leadership in yourself.

By wjames

http://wjames.hubpages.com/hub/Good-Leadership-10-Characteristics-Good-Leader

Leadership: Qualities of a Good LeaderEveryone has certain expectations when it comes to leadership qualities. Some individuals tend to display the qualities of a good leader in their very childhood, while some get them from their management lessons. At the end of the day what matters is possessing these leadership traits, considered to be the tools of success today...

Good leaders are required in all walks of life, ranging from an organizational setup to run a firm, to a political platform to set the national agenda. But what makes a leader? That question can be followed up with a host of answers. In fact a class of 100 management students can come up with 100 qualities of a good leader they would expect from the person to lead them. We decided to compile our own list of leadership traits, i.e. the characteristics what we would like to see in the individual aspiring to lead us to glory. We came up with following leadership qualities mentioned below.

Qualities of a Good Leader

Competitiveness, well disciplined, honesty, etc are some leadership qualities which make the person stand out in the crowd. Just being a good visionary is a thing of yesteryear! Today effective leadership includes lot more than just being a good visionary or a good orator. Listed below are some of the must-have qualities of a leader...a good leader to be precise.

Communication SkillsEffective communication skills are undoubtedly the most important leadership traits to excel in any field. The person shouldn't just have ideas, but should also sport the means of communicating these ideas across the table in an effective manner.

CompetencyA person thriving to become a good leader should be competent enough to take on any odds. Decision making matters, and decisions should be purely based on rational thinking instead of emotions. Giving up is a sign of weak leadership, which doesn't just affect the individual but also tends to hamper the morale of the team.

HonestyOne of the most important quality in the leadership qualities list is honesty. The person has to be honest to himself, his team as well as his goals. Deceit will only call for ire from the team, and this will in turn affect the output of the team.

IntelligenceIntelligence is bound to reflect on the performance of the individual as well as the team he is leading. Being well updated about the ongoing trends can turn out to be an added advantage, especially when it comes to opportunities of climbing the hierarchy ladder.

DisciplineLaid back attitude is meant for losers, not leaders. Discipline in both professional as well as personal life is one of the best leadership qualities a person can inculcate within himself. It is also one of the simplest measure to achieve success in various walks of life.

CourageousA successful person is the one who takes a calculated risk where others back off. The leader should be courageous enough to identify opportunities and strike gold whenever possible. At the same time, he has to raise the bar and always thrive for better.

Goal OrientedA good leader needs to be a good visionary. He should be able to set long term goals and more importantly implement all the measures required to achieve these goals. In leadership, achievements do matter, and the greater they are the better.

InspiringA good leader motivates his followers and team to achieve the next best thing. He should be inspiring, in fact a person worth idolizing for his team. His words as well as his actions have to motivate the people around him.

Broad MindedBeing broad minded can help the leader to keep calm even in rough times. He should be open for ideas and suggestions, even if they come from his juniors. Unnecessary hassles and ego problems should be strictly avoided.

ConsistentConsistency is yet another important leadership trait which makes the person stand out in the crowd. Once in a while profits don't matter to an organization as much as long term gains do. Consistency for a significant period can ensure these long term gains. Read more on what makes a good leader.

Dedication

A good leader is always dedicated to his team as well as his work. He demarcates a proper difference between his professional and personal life. The aim should always be to perform better than the last time, whilst staying focused on the very goal.

HumorAlthough not one of the popular leadership characteristics, humor is perhaps by far the best way to relieve stress as well as to counter hostility. A good leader should know how to use humor to boost the morale of his team and solve conflicts within the team. Read more on character traits of a good leader.

These were some of the most prominent leadership qualities and skills one needs to have in order to become a good leader. Other than these qualities of a good leader, he should always have the determination to cover the extra mile. Note that it isn't just important to have all these leadership traits, it should be the right blend of them all. All the efforts combined can bring out the best in you, in fact the leader in you!

By Abhijit Naik

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/leadership-qualities-of-a-good-leader.html

Leadership QualitiesLeadership is nothing but the quality which makes a person stand out from others. It is associated with such a person who has certain remarkable qualities.

"Leaders don't create followers, they create more leaders." Tom Peters

Leaders - a rare group of species who are fearless, intuitive, staunch, impulsive, thoughtful, aggressive, confident, brazen, apposite, eccentric ......and the list of adjectives goes on and on. All of the qualities

mentioned here may or may not be found in one person, but collectively, they define very much what goes into making of a great leader. There has been a never-ending debate whether leaders are born or they are cultivated, and the jury is still out on this! Penning down the qualities that make a leader are easy but trust me, it takes a lot of effort and perseverance to imbibe those to strengthen your character, and people who are able to do it stand tall among their contemporaries and become the path-bearers of an entire generation. Given the long-list of qualities that we have mentioned here, it will be easier for the readers to conclude that leaders are flawless but the fact is that leaders are people who have suffered hardships from an early stage of their life, and their zeal to face the adversities and get on with life is what makes them a person you can rely on. Take Winston Churchill for example - A man leading a country with its back against the walls and motivating his countrymen to unite against Nazi barbarism in World War II suffered from bipolar disorder. As psychiatrist and historian Anthony Storr puts it, "Had he been a stable and equable man, he could never have inspired the nation. In 1940, when all the odds were against Britain, a leader of sober judgment might well have concluded that we were finished." (Source: Bipolarlives.com)

Leaders have certain characteristics that distinguish them from the crowd. In today's fiercely-competitive scenario, the rules of leadership might have changed a bit, but at the core of it lies ths same good' ol die-hard spirit and the piquant conviction in one's abilities. Let us try to get a gist of these qualities.

1. Good communication skillsCommunication is the key to be a great leader. The reason for this is simple: if one possesses all the other qualities, but fails to communicate well, one has a little chance of being a good leader. Communication helps in passing on valuable information, motivation, healthy criticism, and above all a clear idea on what the team is apiring to do.

2. HonestyThe most valuable asset of a leader is honesty. He must be honest with both his followers. This quality is closely related to integrity. Once a leader compromises his or her integrity, it is lost. That is perhaps the reason integrity is considered the most admirable trait. The leaders therefore must keep it "above all else."

3. Visionary outlookLeadership qualities are different for different position. For example, a CEO must be able to anticipate the future trends in the industry and how it will affect his business. A leader has to look beyond where his business is today, and know where it is going. He has to use his vision to move the company forward. Being able to do this is a rare skill indeed.

4. Ability to take decisionsAlthough, there are a lot of advisors and analysts who help a leader with some valuable inputs on what action needs to be taken, the sails are always in the skipper's hands. The leader has to decide whether he wants to go for or against a plan. The call is his, and he has to accept appreciation or brickbats,

whatever come his way after the decision is made.

5. Ability to motivate peopleA good leader must always keep motivating his teammates for good work and strive towards maintaining a healthy environment. In a crisis situation, the morale and spirit takes a hard-hit, and it is the leader who has to motivate his team to fight against all odds.

6. ConsistencyLeadership effectiveness is impossible without consistency. Every leader has an approach that is unique to them. Don't change your personal style radically after all; it got you in a leadership position. Modify the rough spots but take care not to confound your staff by displaying inconsistency. Your expectations, though subject to modification based on ever-changing business needs, should remain as constant as possible.

7. Ability to bear criticismAs the success rate increases your critics multiply and become louder. Come to peace with the fact that you will always have a camp of people who critique every decision you make. They are generally the ones who are excellent problem-identifiers rather than problem-solvers. Develop your skills of repelling such critics so that they do not diminish your confidence or enthusiasm. On the other hand, it is essential that you take in constructive feedback, and work on it, as may be there are some areas in which you need definite improvement.

These were some of the basic leadership qualities. If you have any ideas and suggestions, or you felt that we missed out on some aspects of leadership, your comments are always welcome.

By Yogesh Ambekar

http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/9-3-2004-58861.asp

Leadership Qualities List- Top 10 Qualities Of A Good LeaderGroup: Alpha Networker Mastermind Group

Written by Jordan Schultz on Jan 5, 2011 11:04 am

http://www.betternetworker.com/groups/posts/view/alpha-networker-mastermind-group/leadership-qualities-list-top-10-qualities-good-leader

I’ve put together this leadership qualities list because I feel it is very important for anyone aspiring to lead people to success to know and understand the exact type of person that people consciously and unconsciously desire to follow. Pay attention to how a lot of these characteristics fit together and impact the others.

I’ve been on a personal mission to master these qualities to achieve greater success within the network marketing industry; however the characteristics on this leadership qualities list will apply to great leadership in all areas of life.

Self-confidence & Belief- I feel this is the most important trait on this leadership qualities list, because without it most of the other qualities on the list wouldn’t be possible.  If you don’t yet believe in yourself, begin to change the way you feel through the use of positive affirmations and incantations every day.

It is only when you have self-confidence that other people will begin to follow you.  If you don’t believe me, ask yourself if you would follow someone who was unsure of themselves?

Self-Awareness & Self-Mastery- I like to refer to what I’ve learned is the “warrior awareness” to describe this trait, because you must truly be able to master your inner game.

This means that you must be able to control your mind, your thoughts, your feelings and desires at all times.  This self-awareness and mastery is essential especially in times of conflict or confrontation.  The best way to gain control when your mind or emotions start to take over is to breathe deeply.

This is #2 on the leadership qualities list because you will often have to deal with people or situations that would make someone who’s not in control of their mind and feelings absolutely curl up and die.  Also, it’s essential to master this to maintain your focus so that you can accomplish everything that must be done in a leadership position.

Patience- This quality will grow much stronger only after you’ve truly mastered yourself.  When you can control your emotions and thoughts, you will be able to maintain patience even in the most stressful situations.

You often hear the phrase “patience is a virtue”, and this is very true.  Having patience will allow you to be more understanding of another’s situation or position, which will ultimately allow you to better lead that person toward their goal.

Understanding & Empathy- Notice how this leadership qualities list ties together.  Having patience will allow for better understanding and empathy towards a team mates thoughts, feelings, situation, etc…  Only when you truly understand someone can you truly help that person.  Reason being there is no 1 solution that is the fix-all.  We cannot use the “Duct-Tape method” when it comes to fixing people’s problems.

Attentiveness- This leadership qualities list would not be complete without this important trait.  Gaining “warrior awareness” will lead to you paying close attention to everything going on around you in the moment.  It is only what is happening right here and now that is important for everything to move forward, especially when you’re dealing with people.  If you’re un-attentive you’ll never be able to have a true understanding of what your team needs to succeed.  This is also going to play into the power of influence, because you will not be able to influence a person without knowing what they really need.

Integrity- I almost can’t put a rating on any one trait in this leadership qualities list, because they all are equally important.  You would be able to lead people and become successful, but if you want to maintain your position for an extended period of time you’ll have to gain your team’s trust.  You must do things for the over-all good of the team and not just think about yourself or the here-and-now.  Sure you can make a quick buck in network marketing or any form of sales if you don’t care about others, but it will never last.

Decisiveness- This is perhaps 1 of the easiest and most difficult qualities to master.  The leadership qualities list wouldn’t be complete without decisiveness.  You must possess all 9 of the other qualities in order to achieve this trait, or at least to effectively be decisive.

Pay attention to that last sentence, because you can be decisive and reckless at the same time.  A leader can and will make decisions quickly based on intuition, and will usually sticks with that decision long enough to know if it was a good decision or not.

If you’re someone who takes weeks to make a 50 cent decision, opportunity will certainly pass you by.

Takes Initiative- Once you’ve made a decision in your mind the next step would be to take action.  A leader is willing to take initiative with a total uncertainty of success or failure.  Again this doesn’t mean that you should be reckless, but you must be willing to lose some battles in order to learn how to win bigger battles.

Taking initiative also means that you don’t procrastinate in all areas of your life.  Followers sit back and wait for the leader to tell them it’s safe to take the action.  What do you want to be?

Responsibility- Nearing the end of this leadership qualities list is responsibility.  You alone are responsible for your success, and when you understand this and can admit to yourself and others when you’re not doing what is required, you’ll be able to push harder and further to achieve greater success.  That being said, you’re only partly responsible for the success of your team.  You can show them the way, but if they choose not to follow your path, they are responsible for their failures.

Power of Influence- This power is not to be used immorally, which is why I’ve waited until now to add it to the leadership qualities list.  Having a deep desire to truly help other people become successful will increase your power of influence greatly.  People can sense if you’re someone who wants to help them or not.  Therefore the power of influence can only be harnessed after you are able to understand people at their core, and show them that you care about what happens to them.

When you have harnessed the awesome power of influence by developing this awesome leadership qualities list within you, you will not have to convince people to do anything or buy anything.  They will simply take action because they desire to.

In closing, take note that it’s important for you to begin with self-mastery, so that you have the mindset and control to properly develop the rest of the qualities on this leadership qualities list. 

It’s also essential to develop all of these qualities in order to become a leader.  Lastly I want to mention that the power of influence will develop naturally as the other qualities become greater.  Work through developing these qualities or characteristics in order, and you’ll truly become a great leader.