Characteristics of a Leader

From Alexander the Great and Mahatma Gandhi to Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela, throughout history we have had great leaders, who, with the strength of their character and conviction in their actions, have dazzled mankind. But, what is it in these people that sets them apart from the multitude of humanity around them? What is it that makes people listen and follow them? All these illustrious characters and many others have made us often sit back and consider the question, "What are the most important characteristics of a leader?" Here we take a look at the leadership qualities and skills.

Important Leadership Qualities

Though the subject is vast, nevertheless, here is a list of the top 10 characteristics of a leader:

Visionary: When asked the question, "What sets a leader apart from the rest?" my claim is that the most important trait of a leader is having a vision that can take a team and society further. A leader is a visionary who clearly knows what he wants and how the goal can be achieved. There may be a team of efficient members, but without an envisioned leader, all efforts of the team would go to waste.

Confidence and Decision-making Abilities: Just as having a vision is important, so is the confidence to act on it. Confidence in ones vision and ability to fulfill it is an important characteristic of a good leader. Unless an individual has confidence in his own abilities, how can he take decisions and lead a group?

Quick Thinking: This attribute becomes all the more important in the context of business. In today's world of stiff economic competition, markets change unpredictably and so do opportunities and challenges. A leader who is able to think quickly is in a position to make the most of the given situation and this is an important trait for effective business leadership.

Knowledge: Quick thinking is important but without the right knowledge of the area, many times decisions that are taken promptly may be wrong. It is true that we learn from our mistakes, failures and disappointments. But knowledge of the area of one's work and being aware of all the developments taking place in it, is one of the important qualities of a leader.

Good Communication Skills: A leader may know what to do, but he must also be able to communicate his plan of action to his team members. For this, good communication skills is important. Besides being able to give a clear picture of what is expected of his team members, a leader with good communication skills can also motivate people around him effectively, and this is an important requirement of effective leadership.

Discipline: A leader has a team of individuals to lead and he might have more than one area to look into. In such a scenario, it becomes very important for a leader to be disciplined. He needs to be have a clear picture of what he wants to do and needs to have an organized approach.

Risk Taking: The ability to take risks is another good characteristic of a leader. Every opportunity comes with some amount of risk and a good leader is one who has the courage to take risks. Had man not dared to sail out when it was believed that the Earth is flat, just think, how different the world would have been today!

Humility: A leader has qualities that raises him above the rest and every individual is aware of this. But apart from these qualities, it is humility that makes a good leader more approachable. This facilitates better communication between a leader and a team which enables a leader to know of the problems that his team is facing. It also, places a leader in a position where his team member people provide him suggestions which may be valuable.

Democratic: Some amount of control is required. However, leading one's group in an autocratic style is the characteristic of a bad leader. Where there is democracy, there is innovation, as people are free to think and come up with new ideas. This surely increases the probability of success for a team.

Have Character: People look up to a leader for motivation and the best way, that a leader can motivate his people, is by setting an example through his character. It is one of the most important qualities of a good leader that he himself follows the rules that he had set for others. In fact, one of the most important qualities of a leader is that he leads by example.

Some say that one is born with leadership abilities. However, it is also possible to inculcate some of the qualities of a leader. It just needs one to have the ability to rise above one's personal needs and act in the greater interest of those around.