5 Essential Qualities of a Successful Leader

No matter your business role or industry, there are essential leadership qualities that you will need to master if you want long-term success. These qualities transcend the specifics of individual workplace politics or strategies.

A successful leader is able to provide solutions to unique problems in a consistent manner that comes from years of practice. I should know—I’ve had years of practice, and to me, successful leadership boils down to these essential qualities.

Smart leaders will work on skills, knowledge, and abilities that can be applicable to many different situations and industry settings. The most impactful qualities of leadership are those that, through modeling, communicate a positive message to your staff. To be a successful leader, you need to provide encouragement, motivation, expertise, steady direction, and assurance. So, how can you strengthen your leadership competencies?

If you have recently earned a job promotion or have climbed another rung on your career ladder, I suggest that you take inventory of the leadership skills you currently possess. Be honest. Have you mastered the essential qualities that build leadership success?

Here are five tips that I have learned from my years of executive experience that I wish someone had shared with me as I began honing my personal brand of leadership:

Model excellence . If as a leader, you don’t maintain high standards, then why would you expect your employees and team members to care about high standards? The quality of your work is a direct reflection on your capabilities as a member of the organization and speaks volumes about your attention to detail.

Practice self-discipline . Leadership is a full-time job and everyone is watching your behavior. As you review your career, which leaders, with whom you worked, did you admire? Why? What patterns of behavior did they model? Impatience, insecurity, and carelessness will be noticed. Make certain that you maintain ethical behavior that shows honesty and integrity even in the face of adversity.

Value commitment . When employees and team members go the extra mile and demonstrate follow-through on projects, make certain they are aware that you noticed. You know how you felt when you were starting your career and worked tirelessly to be noticed and recognized for performing quality work and your commitment to seeing a project through to completion. Being a team player and working alongside of your staff shows your commitment to them.

Provide consistency . Establishing the same rules and regulations for everyone in all situations is so important to develop a sense of trust. If you treat people differently, word will spread fast and resentment will grow. Forget about developing a sense of commitment from your staff if members find that your rules are arbitrary and your decisions change with the wind.

Show gratitude. Your staff will follow you willingly if you show that you appreciate their efforts, commitment, quality of work, and cooperation. Employee engagement and belief in the organization is a core ingredient which will allow your company to grow in a healthy, productive manner. Employees need to believe that their input matters and that leadership appreciates their services. Such gratitude is a solid way to maintain employee loyalty.

My last suggestion is that you, the leader, enjoy your work. There is little privacy in the business world; people will be watching you all the time. Some will be quick to criticize what you do and say, so I remind you to follow your passion and embrace a career that provides personal satisfaction.

Your ability to exhibit honesty is also paramount as you communicate and develop your workforce. Celebrate success—yours and others. Learn from mistakes. Most importantly, always embrace the adventure you are pursuing with gusto.

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