Leaders become great, not because of their power, but because of their ability to empower others- John Maxwell.
A leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. There is a big difference between being just a leader and being a great leader. Being a great leader is not everyone’s cup of tea. A great leader has distinct qualities which no one else possesses. If you have these qualities in you, you can take over anything you want to.
12. Kindness
Kindness is something which is lost in today’s world. People have forgotten to be kind to others. And this is what differentiates a great leader from the others. Being kind towards his followers is the basic step for a leader to become a great leader. Followers have so much to learn from their leaders. And if there is a mistake, the leader should be kind enough to not vent out the frustration. He will never behave in such a manner which will impose fear or resentment in the minds of the people.
11. Leading, not dominating
A great leader is someone who himself works towards achieving common goals and leads his team to a right direction. Whereas, a person who dominates his followers is such a person can just boss around ordering people while he himself has a laid back approach. Leading is taking your followers with you while you put in your best. A lot goes into the making of a great leader. One cannot simply get up and become a great leader. A boss says ‘Go’, a leader says ‘Let’s go’.
10. Inspiring
There is a huge difference between inspiring people and influencing people. When you influence people, you are imposing your thoughts and beliefs on others. And when you are inspiring people, you are inspiring them to do something great based on their own values, beliefs and opinions. A great leader never fails to inspire people. He automatically becomes a role model when he inspires others.
9. Patience
When things go wrong, when it has not been your day, your week, your month, or even a year, you tend to get frustrated and things go out of your hands. And to keep a control on the situation, Patience is what you need. Being patient is very difficult when you know things are not happening according to your wishes. And the person who can be patient enough can be called as a great leader. When people get into the crisis, they tend to panic. The leader is the one should be patient and should guide them to find an appropriate solution. It is very wisely said ‘Patience is a virtue’.
8. Commitment
‘Finish what you’ve started’. When you take up a work, you have to make sure you show complete dedication and commitment. Simply taking up responsibilities is not enough, you have to work towards completing them. A great leader commits to his work and does not let it go if things get worse. He sticks to his dedication and sets a great example for his followers.
7. Honesty
‘Honesty is the best Policy’. You lie once, and you have to lie 50 times more to cover up the previous lie. Rather than doing this, just be honest with yourself and others to avoid further consequences. A great leader is the one who stays true to his work, himself and his followers. Whatever the situation is, a leader must have the courage to own up to it and be truthful to everyone. This will in turn help to find a solution and also increase the respect for the leader.
6.Positive attitude
‘Stay Positive’ is the ultimate mantra today. You cannot just fill yourself up with all the negativity around you. A good leader will always stay positive no matter what the situation is. Negativity can lead you nowhere. While staying positive could earn good results. When the leader is positive, he spreads a good vibe to his followers. And this, in turn, can motivate people even more. So, it’s time to eliminate all that negativity from your life.
5. Good Orator
Communication is the key to a healthy relationship between people. And when you have to address people who follow you, you need to have excellent communication skills to ensure that the message you convey is meaningful. A great leader should be a good orator. He should be able to convey his message very well so as to inspire people. If he is not able to express himself well, his followers wouldn’t care about his opinions. And hence, we can say communication is the key to success.
4. Decisiveness
Either this or that. There is no hanging in between. A great leader has to be the one who can make some quick decisions. Hanging in between leads to even more confusion and complex problems. This one quality is what makes a leader. But the point here is not to take random decisions but to analyze, do research and take wise appropriate decisions on time. This is what being decisive means. Good decisions make great leaders.
3. Confidence
Confidence can bring out the best in you. When you are confident enough, people will believe you blindly. Confidence is something which is contagious. If a leader has enough confidence, his followers automatically become confident about choosing him as their leader. After all, no person can be a leader without his followers. Be confident and things will automatically fall into place.
2. Good Listener
Everyone has the right to be heard. And a great leader always listens to what the people have to say. A great leader does not only voice his opinions but also listen to other people’s opinion. Listening to people’s ideas, grievances is as important as giving voice to your own opinions. A good leader should be concerned about his followers. He should also be bothered about what his followers are going through.
1. Open minded
One of the imp qualities a good leader should have is being open minded. A person can never become a successful leader if he is not open to new ideas and concepts. Being open-minded is the need of the hour to cope up with today’s changing world. When a leader is open to new ideas, he can find better solutions and also grow as a person. Someone has rightly said ‘Open your mind before you open your mouth’.
Leading people is never easy. But you have to make it easy by imbibing these qualities in you. Once you know how to tackle a certain situation, becoming a great leader will be no more a distant dream.