10 Essentail Leadership Qualities

10 Essential Leadership Qualities

Leadership could provide a sense of direction. In a lot of situations, this one ingredient would make a difference between success and failure. It provides guidance, and so it becomes the substance to fall back on when the going gets tough. What then are the key ingredients of skillful, effective, and good leadership? It would include:

Vision. Clear Vision of goal(s)
A leader should be able to identify the central goal of the organization. The leader has the full, rather than a part of the picture of the aims of the organization.
With vision comes the realization that there is need for change. Change causes stress and tensions. A skilful team leader must have the skills of managing change. With managing change comes the taking of risks. The practical, pragmatic visionary takes risks - in an effort to change situations.

Ability To Make Decisions:
Decisions helps focus and firm decisions make for firm, unwavering focus. The leader who is afraid to make decisions is very limited. The one who is caught between two opinions can hardly move forward.

A Do-er (someone who takes action)
In this age of abundance of information on almost any topic, a leader must be swift to sift the available information, and be in a position for action. Knowing that a leader cannot be everywhere at once, the effective leader now has to delegate. Selecting able surbodinates is a skill in itself. Delegation is another.These things shapes styles of leadership.
Naturally, a doer has drive. They are able to motivate others.

Manager of people:
Managing people could be one of the most valuable leadership skills in the arsenal of a true leader. A leader has to delegate to others who might have equal or better knowledge in the area in question. People receiving the instructions have to be willing, otherwise they might not give of their best effort.
An incentive could be, and often is, the money. At other times it could be the prestige. A great leader skilfully manages the blend.
Within any organization, this is one of the leadership qualities that cannot be replaced.

Charisma:Influence.
The leader who cannot or will not carry people along will soon have nobody to lead. True leaders have this thing about them that makes surbodinates want to do what the leader wants. Generally, what needs to be done has been agreed upon. Even then, the leader has to have that little extra. It makes the diffence.

Knowledge - General Knowledge and Knowledge of Specifics:
It is necessary that a leader should at least have a good working knowledge of the task at hand. There are several areas where the leader may know much less than those being led. The leader, to an extent, relies on the skills and counsels of surbodinates.

Selfless
: This quality must mark a true leader. A leader should be able to acknowledge the input of tthose around. Claiming the due credit for the work of surbodinates weakens leadership.

Approachable: Accessible.
Faceless leadership may have its place, but it is not particularly human.
If instructions cascade down from somebody you cannot see, such instructions usually sounds like dictats. Followers should be able to identify with, and relate with their leader.

Knowledge of The Plans, Tactics and Strategy (of the Organization)
It is not good enough to be able to know where we want to be in a year or five or even ten. That could be a dream! It is important to have a working knowledge of the plan, tactics and strategy of the organizatin. What if a plan does not work? A lot of the time, there is need for plan B. It is usually a modification of plan A.

Communication, Communication:
Communication could be verbal or non-verbal. It could signals; but there must be communication. Great leaders are known for their communication skills. Some are such powerful orators. By their communications, they inspire others.

True leaders are embodiments of the aspirations of those they lead. They may not be the most liked person around, but they certainly carry a lot of respect.
A key personal attribute of a great leader is courage. They have the vision, the courage of their convictions, and can keep going even when a situation is not encouraging.
Examples of leadership abound in history. The trait is useful in every area of life - wherever there is the need for a sense of direction..