Qualities of a good leader-

  • Someone who knows where they are going and how they are going to get there-has leadership qualities-are you a leader? Somebody who thinks about the way to go forward, about what it will entail and how to go about achieving it? Or are you someone who waits for someone else to take the lead? Leadership is about setting goals and objectives, about monitoring your progress through various milestones, and about continually being mindful of others while you do so. It is an essential quality for all aspiring managers- you should start working on it today.
  • Someone who understands the need to involve others- delegates well and knows how to get people on their side-All managers are essentially in the people business, and building bridges with the people around you is a key skill- not creaky bridges that will tip over under pressure but solid ones with a good strong foundation. Be firm, flexible, fun, understanding, interested and interesting – and these are all qualities which can make you kind of leader others will want to follow. Remember that everyone is different, and that what motivates one person might do the opposite for other. But be absolutely clear that to be a leader who gets things done, it will be critical that you have the enthusiastic support and assistance of those around you.
  • Someone who is seen to have authority. Are you someone who is good at making a speech, talking at a meeting, writing a memo or a letter, communicating in general? Here is a suggestion on how to make an impact during a speech or while making a key point at a meeting;get up, speak up, and shut up. Try it, and see if it doesn’t give definite air of authority. Avoid any procrastination, hesitancy, limp appearance or behavior, uncertainty, verbosity etc. Be clear and concise, yet do not forget to be interesting. And remember that appearance does matter. I ones had a client who was very well organized and an excellent speaker, but his shirt was always rumpled, his tie was shoddy and his overall performance did him no favors. We had a frank discussion about it and eventually he agreed to radically alter his whole approach to great effect.
  • Someone who makes decisions easily and is decisive in general. This shows that you know that where you stand on most issues and that you communicate it to others. Do not dither if you don’t know the answer or haven’t yet formed an opinion on something, say so and indicate when you decide. Whenever possible make your decision, stick with it, and then move on to other things.
  • Someone who is in control of their emotions. Leaders usually have the capacity to stay calm and control during a crisis, and when things are normal they exude a quiet self Confidence. Leaders are able to use their intellect and reasoning to keep their emotions at bay. People who have difficulty in controlling their emotions rarely make good leaders. Emotions are important – they are vital part of being human – but they need to be channeled and managed to be an effective leader.
  • Someone with a level of self Confidence but not arrogance and who has a positive outlook – one who sees the bottle as half full , not half empty. Always work as developing a positive approach – always. There are many people who fall under the trap of always identifying the reason why something can’t be done. I had a client Ones who was very capable, intelligent and with strong problem solving skills, but he would react negatively to almost any suggestion or idea. The solution I devised for him to force himself to always follow a negative comment with a positive one. We followed this religiously and eventually he started to identify the positive points first. This does not mean that one should always be a “yes” person only that it is a great virtue to approach any initiative with appositive mental attitude.

(THE WHOLE MANAGER BY PETER BOLT, P.N- 108-111)