Qualities Every Workplace Leader Needs – 0715B

Date Posted: 07/24/2015

“Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work.” – Vince Lombardi

Is each division of your company equipped with the right leaders? Effective leadership is vital to drive a company’s success and achieve the company’s goals.   Effective team leaders have a variety of traits and characteristics that can instill trust and confidence in their team as well as to contribute to the growth of the company through enhanced team productivity.

To be an effective leader, one must possess these notable qualities:

Good Communicator – Effective team leaders should possess excellent verbal and written communication skills. They should be able to present their ideas and expectations to team members clearly and in a way people can understand.  Effective communication also means listening to the input of others.

Organized –Organizational skills help team leaders plan objectives and strategies which allow team members to perform ideally.  Without clear objectives, it is difficult to find the right team with the right skillset. Being well organized, team leaders put systems in place to maintain good order and guide team members toward achieving the company’s objectives and goals.

Confident – A good leader should have confidence in their own abilities as well as in their team members’ abilities. Allowing each team member to do their own job and trust that they will perform their duties to the best of their abilities. A confident leader also reassures team members of his/her authority within the company and is secure in the decisions made.

Influential – Being an inspiration to the team is essential. All eyes of the team are on the leader who should lead by example. As they say, “Live by what you preach, by setting a good example”.

Wise Delegation – Good leadership is not doing everything yourself but through delegation. A good leader understands the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and is able to assign and delegate tasks and responsibilities to each team member who is best equipped to handle the task. This allows the team leader to focus on improving workplace functions and to maximize productivity. It’s not about command and control in a team but more about encouraging each individual to contribute their expertise to make the most out of the diverse talents of individuals in the team.

Visionary – A great leader should be able to foresee the team’s success and to create plans to put that vision into action. He/she needs to develop a culture where sharp ideas and arguments are accepted rather than prioritized by dominant egos.  Team members should be allowed to present their views based on their own skills and proficiencies so all individuals can have an impact and achieve more as part of a team.

Energetic – A good leader becomes a source of positive energy which offers a lot of enthusiasm to inspire and motivate team members.  A positive attitude even at difficult times e.g. meeting tight deadlines, reaching challenging targets, etc.  A competent leader understands that position energy needs to be tempered by realistic expectations.

Managing conflicts – As a team starts to move forward, different ideas, inputs and personalities in a team can create conflict. Team members who are averse to conflict might find this stage contentious, spiteful and even distressing.  Yet conflicts can be constructive as well as being destructive. It is how it is handled that makes the difference. An amiable leader who is approachable and willing to listen to everyone involved will be able to negotiate effectively and offer constructive solutions to solve problems/conflicts to the best interest of everyone concerned.

Open & Fair – Effective leaders are honest and open with their team members and treat each member fairly and are consistent with rewards and recognitions as well as disciplinary action.  A good leader who possesses integrity gains the trust of team members as they know that the leader respects their input and opinions.

Gives Reward – An effective leader should always recognize the accomplishments, contributions or success of each team member and to always find ways to motivate the team as a whole.  Rewards to individual members with salary increase; bonus or promotions are, of course, appreciated but sometimes a simple commendation or a personal handwritten note of thanks will also do the trick.

Strong leadership is a criterion for any high-performance and effective team.  So, if you are hiring or promoting people into management or executive positions, you need to look for the qualities that make good team leaders.

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