9 Qualities the Best Leaders Adopt

The best leaders unknowingly inspire the people around them. 9 Qualities the Best Leaders Adopt

As Steve Jobs once said, “Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could.”

Success as a leader does not happen by accident nor overnight. People are not born into leadership. There are qualities you can adopt and practice to become a better leader for your team. 9 Qualities the Best Leaders Adopt

Practice integrating these leadership qualities into both your personal and professional life.

9 qualities to adopt to become the best leader:

1. Consistency.

The greatest leaders are consistent in their expectations, work culture, and goals. Your team will look to you to have a consistent approach.

> Communicate your expectations or goals to your team upfront. If anything changes, communicate that clearly to your team. 9 Qualities the Best Leaders Adopt

2. Effective communication.

The best leaders promote a culture of open, effective communication. They share ideas in a way their team understands and actively listen to their team.

> Be a good listener. Communication happens both ways – welcome ideas and constructive criticism to earn respect from your team.

> Be a good communicator. Regularly communicate your goals and expectations in a clear, concise way. 9 Qualities the Best Leaders Adopt

> Be honest. Being honest with your team will build their trust, loyalty and respect for you.

3. Humility.

Humility is an underrated leadership quality. Humble leaders are easy to relate to because they know they don’t know everything. They have the confidence to be curious and open to learning more. Humble leaders also acknowledge they can’t do everything alone, and give credit where it’s due. 9 Qualities the Best Leaders Adopt

> Be curious. When you don’t know something, be curious and ask for more information.

> Give credit where it’s due. Celebrate your team’s achievements.

4. Visionary.

The best leaders have a clear, inspiring vision of what their team can accomplish. Having a clear vision can motivate your team to go beyond what they think they are capable of.

> Regularly communicate the bigger picture or your vision to the rest of your team so they take ownership and find ways to get there.

5. Resilient.

Problems are a natural part of any endeavor. Instead of backing down from a problem, great leaders find solutions rather than putting the blame on others. 9 Qualities the Best Leaders Adopt

6. Decisive.

As a leader, your team will look to you to make the final decision, especially when the decision is hard to make, or your team is split.

> Weigh your options and involve others in the process, but take it upon yourself to make the final decision.

> Stand by your choices, with the understanding that you are accountable for your actions.

7. Integrity.

The mark of greatness is choosing to do what is right even if it’s not the popular choice. You’ll gain the trust of your team when you stand by your values in an integral way. 9 Qualities the Best Leaders Adopt

8. Lift up your team.

The best leaders empower their team to succeed. Empower your team, by trusting them with different responsibilities, and giving them time to develop their skill set. Create a culture of strategic and creative thinking so that your team feels like their ideas and contributions are valued.

9. Sincerity.

Great leaders have sincere, genuine care for the welfare of each person on their team. The greatest leaders are people-oriented, with a desire to contribute to the well-being of others.

The greatest leaders carry a contagious, positive energy for the work they do. That energy passes onto their team naturally. They inspire their team to achieve the company’s goals and vision.

As John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” 9 Qualities the Best Leaders Adopt