There are certain things that separate leaders who are just okay, from the leaders who are really great—the ones who inspire and motivate the people who work for them. The good news is that, with just a little focus and effort, any leader can take his or her leadership skills from good to great.
Here are 7 habits of truly great leaders that you can employ for your own benefit as a leader—and for the benefit of your people, your customers, and your organization.
- Be honest
Despite what many people might believe, honesty is a habit that anyone can develop and improve. Good leaders say what they mean, but great leaders are completely transparent. Their people know they can rely on them to always be completely, one hundred percent genuine.
- Analyze issues
Rather than just accepting things as they are at face value, the best leaders analyze the root of the problems they encounter on the job. They find the real underlying issues affecting their teams and bring them up appropriately, no matter how uncomfortable that may be.
- Push for results
While the journey is incredibly important, it doesn’t ultimately count for a great deal if we’re unable to see a final product. Results are absolutely important, and great leaders know how much they matter to keep the team going—especially when people are discouraged and spirits are low.
- Communicate intelligently
Rather than wasting words by saying things that don’t matter—or worse yet, saying things that are damaging—great leaders know exactly what to say and how or when to say them. Here, the execution is as important as the delivery, and the best leaders are aware of that.
- Build relationships
There can’t be a good staff without a working community, and the only way to implement that is by building strong one-on-one relationships with individual members of the team. In addition, great leaders facilitate relationships between other members of the team as well, putting themselves in the middle of the web of interconnectivity.
- Have a strategy
What gets planned gets done, and a solid game plan makes sure that things get done when and how they’re supposed to. Having a strategy and sticking to it throughout the process of implementation is the key to delivering excellent results.
- Inspire your people
Perhaps the most important trait of a great leader is their ability to move others to action. The capacity to inspire others is incredibly powerful—and found only in the very best leaders. What inspires you? Think about the answer to that question as you work to inspire others. Chances are, what inspires you also inspires your people.
