9 Must-Have Qualities of An Effective Leader
Nearly everyone who has tasted professional success has benefitted at some point from the stewardship of an effective leader.
Good leaders can change lives by creating opportunities for those in their orbit and clearing the path for those on their team to reach their potential. Good leaders offer guidance, exhibit confidence, and inspire in others the same traits they routinely demonstrate — accountability, ambition, commitment, creativity, and passion.
Becoming a leader not only benefits your current employers but can expand your possibilities for future positions. By effectively nurturing others, you can also nurture your career, whether you’re an entry level graduate or you’re a seasoned project management professional.
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Traits All Great Leaders Share
Leadership traits are not technical knowledge, though great leaders certainly benefit from understanding the skills necessary to reach the desired outcome. Rather, leadership traits are the qualities that enable someone to guide teams and projects to successful completion. Truly effective leaders tend to do the following:
1 | Explain The Mission
What is the goal? How are we getting there? How will we measure success? These things are made clear by effective leaders. Make sure each team member understands not only the big picture, but how their individual role contributes to the overall effort.
2 | Be Accountable
Share credit, accept blame. More precisely, be proactive when plans are flawed, or goals are in danger of not being met. Provide solutions where possible, explanations where necessary, and excuses not at all. Regularly review progress or lack thereof, and work with the team to improve performance.
3 | Be An Example
Demonstrate the behavior you expect from your team and they will reflect the values you display. So be open, ethical, and consistent. Be careful not to over-promise, and understand that confidence, loyalty, and respect are two-way streets. Have integrity.
4 | Motivate
If you take the time to learn your team members’ strengths, weaknesses, needs, and priorities, they are more likely to feel valued. Then, you can maximize their productivity. Provide meaningful, attainable goals, recognize effort, and grant autonomy and authority. A leader should seek to create an atmosphere where team members are free to innovate and create while getting the work done.
5 | Adapt
Schedules change. So do procedures, personnel, and even goals. Flexibility in the face of those challenges requires an intimate knowledge of your team members’ skills, practicing acceptance rather than resistance, and honing the sort of resourcefulness and flexibility that enables you to pivot rather than spin out.
6 | Provide Stability
If your team members know you can be counted on to provide the necessary information or resources, or simply a consistently positive and professional demeanor, they’ll be able to better maintain effort and focus. They’ll also be more likely to approach you sooner with potential setbacks or roadblocks.
7 | Be Decisive
Sometimes a leader must make a tough call quickly. Consensus is nice, but not always practical or even possible. Difficult decisions should be made with full consideration of potential consequences and alternatives and, ultimately, with conviction. Remember that the decision and the follow-through are your responsibility, and you will earn the respect of your team.
8 | Frequently Praise
When has anyone ever gone above and beyond? When they feel valued and appreciated. Celebrate the achievements of your team members, with a larger group and one-on-one. Those who know their efforts are respected will likely be motivated to continue that effort.
9 | Keep Current
Industry trends and technology advancements are areas in which leaders should be at least conversant. This could involve carving out time each week to learn something new, attend conferences and networking events, cultivate a relationship with a mentor, or make a point of keeping abreast of developments from industry leaders.
Marketing Your Leadership Skills
Leaders tend to accomplish goals, then develop new ones. This can mean seeking new opportunities, and that involves communicating your leadership skills to potential employers. Here’s how to showcase your leadership credentials:
1 | Leave room in your resume for soft skills: The “skills” section of your resume need not be entirely technical. Save three bullet points for leadership skills you’ve mastered, and with each trait add a concrete example of its impact in your work history.
2 | Highlight leadership in your cover letter: While resumes tend toward the nuts and bolts of your experience, training, and accomplishments, soft skills take center stage in the cover letter. Examine the job description for the position you seek, identify the relevant leadership traits, and emphasize specific instances where you’ve displayed those traits.
3 | Talk up your traits in the interview: You’ve already identified the necessary leadership traits for the position. Come to the interview prepared with examples of situations in your career where you’ve already demonstrated those traits.
Lean into Leadership
Leadership is not a path free of hurdles. Most leaders routinely encounter hard-to-manage team members and even the occasional bout of self-doubt. However, the rewards of helping others find something within themselves, of accomplishing goals they felt were out of reach, of seeing opportunities instead of problems, far outweigh the difficulties professionally and personally.
Author Profile: Nicole Marie
Nicole Marie is Senior Content Executive at Michael Page, an international recruiting firm for financial director jobs. Before joining the recruitment industry, she worked in media and journalism. She now covers employment trends and insights in a variety of industries such as construction, technology, and marketing.
