How often have you heard the comment, “He or she is a born leader?” There are certain characteristics found in some people that seem to naturally put them in a position where they’re looked up to as a leader.
Whether in fact a person is born a leader or develops skills and abilities to become a leader is open for debate. There are some clear characteristics that are found in good leaders. These qualities can be developed or may be naturally part of their personality. Let us explore them further.
Seven Personal Qualities Found In A Good Leader
1. A good leader has an exemplary character. It is of utmost importance that a leader is trustworthy to lead others. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live their life with honestly and integrity. A good leader “walks the talk” and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads.
2. A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as leader. People will respond more openly to a person of passion and dedication. Leaders need to be able to be a source of inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action or cause. Although the responsibilities and roles of a leader may be different, the leader needs to be seen to be part of the team working towards the goal. This kind of leader will not be afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.
3. A good leader is confident. In order to lead and set direction a leader needs to appear confident as a person and in the leadership role. Such a person inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team to complete the task well. A leader who conveys confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from team members.
4. A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty. People look to the leader during times of uncertainty and unfamiliarity and find reassurance and security when the leader portrays confidence and a positive demeanor.
5. Good leaders are tolerant of ambiguity and remain calm, composed and steadfast to the main purpose. Storms, emotions, and crises come and go and a good leader takes these as part of the journey and keeps a cool head.
6. A good leader as well as keeping the main goal in focus is able to think analytically. Not only does a good leader view a situation as a whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection. Not only is the goal in view but a good leader can break it down into manageable steps and make progress towards it.
7. A good leader is committed to excellence. Second best does not lead to success. The good leader not only maintains high standards, but also is proactive in raising the bar in order to achieve excellence in all areas.
These seven personal characteristics are foundational to good leadership. Some characteristics may be more naturally present in the personality of a leader. However, each of these characteristics can also be developed and strengthened. A good leader whether they naturally possess these qualities or not, will be diligent to consistently develop and strengthen them in their leadership role.
You can develop your leadership skills by becoming a more confident speaker. There are Toastmasters Clubs around the world and you can find one close to you by going to http://www.toastmasters.org and entering your information.
Rome was not built in a day and leadership takes time to develop as well.
Fran
P.S. For more tips on public speaking, Click here: http://www.franwatson.ca/publicspeaker.html
Showing posts with label leadership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leadership. Show all posts
Thursday, September 01, 2011
Sunday, March 08, 2009
How To Be A Leader At Work
Most organizations have at least one person who is a natural leader. When it is announced she will be leading a new team, employees line up to join. When he asks for a volunteer for an assignment, people jump at the chance. Employees turn to her as a mentor, or look to him as a role model.
Meanwhile, others in the organization are struggling to do their job with too few human resources. So how do natural leaders do it? What is their secret to getting people to go the extra mile for them?
Although many effective leaders are naturally charismatic, there are a number of leadership behaviours that can be adopted by anyone who wants to have greater support from other people. While some leadership techniques may sound manipulative, a wise leader knows the best results come from having people provide their support willingly.
People naturally want to follow a good leader. After meeting with an effective leader it is not unusual to feel uplifted, inspired and motivated to work towards a common goal.
Effective leaders make others feel good about themselves as well as the work they are doing. The leader has a vision of what she wants to achieve and can communicate that vision to others in a way that makes people want to be part of it.
One thing a good leader typically does is to communicate the big picture, so that each employee can see how the particular role he plays makes a contribution to the final result.
In a recent study of employees at all levels in companies of all sizes, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, authors of Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em, found that “meaningful work, making a difference and a contribution” was one of the top three reasons given by 90% of employees when asked why they remain at a company. (The other reasons cited among the top three were “career growth, learning and development” and “exciting work and challenge.”)
When someone understands why a job that might otherwise be considered menial is important, that person is likely to be both more committed and more productive.
People are also likely to follow leaders they see as positive role models. If a leader demonstrates a strong belief in something, it inspires others to work towards the leader’s vision, even when a situation might appear to be almost hopeless. An excellent example of a leader who faced this type of situation is Lee Iacocca. When Chrysler’s fortunes reached a low in the 1980s, he cut his salary to $1 per year to prove his conviction that things would get better. They did. Under his leadership, the company flourished.
Good leaders not only “walk the walk”, they “talk the talk”. When they speak about the future, they are positive and upbeat. Mark Victor Hansen, a successful motivational speaker and co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, said that even in the early days of his career, if someone asked how he was doing he always responded that he was doing fabulously. His enthusiasm won him plenty of supporters who helped make his vision a reality.
Yet some people feel the way to get support from others is by telling them how grim a situation is, hoping that will make them want to help turn things around. On the contrary, Eeyores (those who sound like the gloomy Winnie the Pooh character) may inspire people to start looking for another job, rather than work to improve the situation they are in.
If you have a tendency to be negative, but want to inspire others to support you in achieving a goal, resolve to focus on solutions rather than problems. If Plan A isn’t working, avoid bemoaning the situation and instead come up with a Plan B. If necessary, have Plan C waiting in the wings. Maintain a can-do attitude and you are likely to attract people who will support you in achieving your goals.
As well as communicating their vision, good leaders know they need to communicate “what’s in it for you” in order to have employees go the extra mile.
They also understand that different people are motivated by different things. For employees motivated by a need for achievement, a leader explains how the task offers an opportunity to take on a challenging but achievable goal. Those with a desire for power are told how their participation can bring them prestige and lead to greater opportunities. While employees who are motivated by affiliation need to hear how they will be part of a team of people working together.
Effective leaders also use techniques to communicate their belief that each team member is important, including remembering and using people’s preferred names (e.g. not "Rick" if someone prefers to be called "Richard"). As Dale Carnegie observed, “the average person is more interested in his or her own name than in all the other names on earth put together.” Keys to remembering names include paying attention when introduced to someone, mentally repeating the name and using it in conversation.
Good leaders will introduce employees by name first, rather than job title. They refer to employees as team members, associates, or colleagues – never as "subordinates" – and make no distinction between "essential" and "non-essential" staff or "professional" and "non-professional" staff. Words have power, including the power to make people feel whether or not they are important to the success of an organization.
Good leaders believe that every team member matters and foster an environment that makes everyone feel important. It is no wonder they attract all the support they need to help them achieve their goals.
Tag Goulet is CEO of Fabjob.com, a company that publishes e-books on how to break into a "fab" job. Visit www.fabjob.com for information
*********************
Lead On!!
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
Meanwhile, others in the organization are struggling to do their job with too few human resources. So how do natural leaders do it? What is their secret to getting people to go the extra mile for them?
Although many effective leaders are naturally charismatic, there are a number of leadership behaviours that can be adopted by anyone who wants to have greater support from other people. While some leadership techniques may sound manipulative, a wise leader knows the best results come from having people provide their support willingly.
As U.S. President and General Dwight D. Eisenhower defined it:
Leadership is the art of getting someone to do something you want done because he wants to do it. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
People naturally want to follow a good leader. After meeting with an effective leader it is not unusual to feel uplifted, inspired and motivated to work towards a common goal.
Effective leaders make others feel good about themselves as well as the work they are doing. The leader has a vision of what she wants to achieve and can communicate that vision to others in a way that makes people want to be part of it.
One thing a good leader typically does is to communicate the big picture, so that each employee can see how the particular role he plays makes a contribution to the final result.
In a recent study of employees at all levels in companies of all sizes, Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans, authors of Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em, found that “meaningful work, making a difference and a contribution” was one of the top three reasons given by 90% of employees when asked why they remain at a company. (The other reasons cited among the top three were “career growth, learning and development” and “exciting work and challenge.”)
When someone understands why a job that might otherwise be considered menial is important, that person is likely to be both more committed and more productive.
People are also likely to follow leaders they see as positive role models. If a leader demonstrates a strong belief in something, it inspires others to work towards the leader’s vision, even when a situation might appear to be almost hopeless. An excellent example of a leader who faced this type of situation is Lee Iacocca. When Chrysler’s fortunes reached a low in the 1980s, he cut his salary to $1 per year to prove his conviction that things would get better. They did. Under his leadership, the company flourished.
Good leaders not only “walk the walk”, they “talk the talk”. When they speak about the future, they are positive and upbeat. Mark Victor Hansen, a successful motivational speaker and co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books, said that even in the early days of his career, if someone asked how he was doing he always responded that he was doing fabulously. His enthusiasm won him plenty of supporters who helped make his vision a reality.
Yet some people feel the way to get support from others is by telling them how grim a situation is, hoping that will make them want to help turn things around. On the contrary, Eeyores (those who sound like the gloomy Winnie the Pooh character) may inspire people to start looking for another job, rather than work to improve the situation they are in.
If you have a tendency to be negative, but want to inspire others to support you in achieving a goal, resolve to focus on solutions rather than problems. If Plan A isn’t working, avoid bemoaning the situation and instead come up with a Plan B. If necessary, have Plan C waiting in the wings. Maintain a can-do attitude and you are likely to attract people who will support you in achieving your goals.
As well as communicating their vision, good leaders know they need to communicate “what’s in it for you” in order to have employees go the extra mile.
They also understand that different people are motivated by different things. For employees motivated by a need for achievement, a leader explains how the task offers an opportunity to take on a challenging but achievable goal. Those with a desire for power are told how their participation can bring them prestige and lead to greater opportunities. While employees who are motivated by affiliation need to hear how they will be part of a team of people working together.
Effective leaders also use techniques to communicate their belief that each team member is important, including remembering and using people’s preferred names (e.g. not "Rick" if someone prefers to be called "Richard"). As Dale Carnegie observed, “the average person is more interested in his or her own name than in all the other names on earth put together.” Keys to remembering names include paying attention when introduced to someone, mentally repeating the name and using it in conversation.
Good leaders will introduce employees by name first, rather than job title. They refer to employees as team members, associates, or colleagues – never as "subordinates" – and make no distinction between "essential" and "non-essential" staff or "professional" and "non-professional" staff. Words have power, including the power to make people feel whether or not they are important to the success of an organization.
Good leaders believe that every team member matters and foster an environment that makes everyone feel important. It is no wonder they attract all the support they need to help them achieve their goals.
Tag Goulet is CEO of Fabjob.com, a company that publishes e-books on how to break into a "fab" job. Visit www.fabjob.com for information
*********************
Lead On!!
Fran Watson
www.franwatson.ca
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The Right Time To Assume Leadership
Do you have what it takes??
In everything you have to do - every decision you have to make or every action you have to take - it is always better to think twice before actually doing it. Sometimes, it becomes too late to know that what you did is not really the most perfect thing to do. And when this happens, there can be no turning back.
You may have the qualities, characteristics, and skills of a great leader. You may think that you can lead a group of people towards a common goal. But do you believe that you are the right person to carry out such a huge responsibility at the right time?
Effective leadership is more than being able to command your people into doing certain tasks. Rather, it is about increasing both your personal and organizational success by guiding, teaching, and directing your followers for the team’s benefit and their own, and eventually drawing out the leadership qualities in them.
Hence, before assuming leadership - accepting big responsibilities and influencing other people - one may have to consider a number of things. Think about the following questions:
- Am I physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually prepared to accept leadership?
- Do I have a vision that will guide my team and me into bringing success?
- Do I possess strong character that I can use in facing and dealing with different problems that I might encounter along the way?
- Am I capable of influencing other people to do things for the team’s success?
- Am I ready to face competitions, accept criticisms, admit mistakes, or even accept defeat and failure?
- Will I be able to contribute immense benefits to the team other than drawing it towards success?
- Will I be able to produce other leaders among the team who can help me lighten the load?
If you answered “NO” to one or more of the above questions, then you may have to reevaluate your priorities in life. Don't worry, though, you have a lot of time to think over, prepare, and learn more. Remember, a true leader does not just give up. A true leader keeps on understanding what his/her weaknesses are, and tries to overcome them to become better and stronger for the team’s sake.
On the other hand, congratulations to you if you answered “YES” to all of the questions. A great leader is all that and more. If this is you, now, you knew it’s the right time for you to assume leadership.
All the Best!
Fran
In everything you have to do - every decision you have to make or every action you have to take - it is always better to think twice before actually doing it. Sometimes, it becomes too late to know that what you did is not really the most perfect thing to do. And when this happens, there can be no turning back.
You may have the qualities, characteristics, and skills of a great leader. You may think that you can lead a group of people towards a common goal. But do you believe that you are the right person to carry out such a huge responsibility at the right time?
Effective leadership is more than being able to command your people into doing certain tasks. Rather, it is about increasing both your personal and organizational success by guiding, teaching, and directing your followers for the team’s benefit and their own, and eventually drawing out the leadership qualities in them.
Hence, before assuming leadership - accepting big responsibilities and influencing other people - one may have to consider a number of things. Think about the following questions:
- Am I physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually prepared to accept leadership?
- Do I have a vision that will guide my team and me into bringing success?
- Do I possess strong character that I can use in facing and dealing with different problems that I might encounter along the way?
- Am I capable of influencing other people to do things for the team’s success?
- Am I ready to face competitions, accept criticisms, admit mistakes, or even accept defeat and failure?
- Will I be able to contribute immense benefits to the team other than drawing it towards success?
- Will I be able to produce other leaders among the team who can help me lighten the load?
If you answered “NO” to one or more of the above questions, then you may have to reevaluate your priorities in life. Don't worry, though, you have a lot of time to think over, prepare, and learn more. Remember, a true leader does not just give up. A true leader keeps on understanding what his/her weaknesses are, and tries to overcome them to become better and stronger for the team’s sake.
On the other hand, congratulations to you if you answered “YES” to all of the questions. A great leader is all that and more. If this is you, now, you knew it’s the right time for you to assume leadership.
All the Best!
Fran
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