More and more people seek their autonomy because they are not content with or identify with traditional forms of work, but also for considering that they have the characteristics of a leader or not being satisfied with the performance of the person who occupies this position in their job.
However, contrary to what many may believe, being your own boss does not mean having fewer responsibilities or more financial control facilities. The truth is that make the decision of It implies taking on several challenges.
An undertaking requires, above all else, dedication and safety that more than an alternative to generate income, it is a lifestyle.
In that sense, it is important to know that more than having a boss position, you need to develop the skills of a leader.
But do you know what it really means to be a leader?
It is a similar function to that of a boss, but with some fundamental differences. The first is that, while the boss has authority, the leader inspires and encourages commitment. of the people he leads.
However, that is not all, leadership goes further. Keep reading this post to discover what other characteristics define an exemplary leader.
What is be Leader?
The leader is literally the one who leads a group of people, whether in the professional or personal context. But what does this mean in practice?
Well, a leader is someone who has the ability to manage people or teams, as well as inspire them to achieve common goals.
In other words, we can say that a leader can communicate with people of the most diverse personalities, keeping the entire team focused on achieving a single goal.
Also, when we talk about leadership, some basic characteristics that every good leader should have come to mind, such as communication skills, strategic vision, adaptation, discipline, ability to relate, among others.
What makes a good leader?
However, having a leadership position does not make anyone a leader. In fact, everyone has already encountered people who do not exercise leadership in the best way.
So what distinguishes a good leader from other professionals?
The figure of the leader has a very large weight in the business world either for better or for worse. A good leader is someone who arouses admiration and inspiration and fulfills his role without oppressing others. A bad one is capable of ending a team and even a business.
Authoritarian leadership has lost its popularity in recent years, giving way to a profile that seeks to add and motivate teams, making everyone work together to achieve success.
This guarantees a increases the of the collaborators and, consequently, the general productivity of the team.
And don’t think that only those in the top corporate hierarchy can lead. Even in a group of employees at the same hierarchical level, it is possible to see someone standing out by motivating and inspiring others.
But, for this, it is necessary to have the characteristics of a leader. Don’t you know what they are? We will explain them to you right away.
Characteristics of a leader
As we have told you before, to exercise leadership in a healthy way, it is necessary to have a certain profile. Therefore, here are 10 of the main characteristics of a leader.
1. Openness to the new
You can’t think of entrepreneurship without talking about innovation, right?
It may seem basic, but openness to new ideas and alternative solutions is essential for someone to be a good leader – and that’s harder than it seems.
New ideas represent risks most of the time. Some high, others almost insignificant.
In any case, being open to new ideas also means having the courage to face the unknown and, often, the unpredictable.
As we said at the beginning, It is practically a requirement for those who want to undertake. But don’t worry, innovating doesn’t necessarily mean creating something totally new or discovering an unprecedented market.
Innovation is also in the details, for example, in the improvement of a process or in a creative and different way of advertising.
The important thing is to always seek and explore new ways to improve a job or product, which represents one of the characteristics of an exemplary leader.
2. Emotional balance
Solve everyday adversities with is probably one of the biggest challenges for anyone. And it is also one of the characteristics of a leader that means managing to maintain focus even on days of stress, discouragement, sadness and fatigue.
So that these mood variations do not harm your work, you must always take care of your health (physical and mental), setting aside time for rest, leisure and activities that are good for you.
It is important to be aware that we are all subject to problems and unforeseen events that can affect our emotional state.
However, since the work of a leader often influences a considerable number of people, ideally, he should learn to recognize their emotional changes and not allow them to damage the professional environment.
3. Self-knowledge
Knowing yourself is the first step to being a good leader. because it is a way to identify what you have positive and what you need to improve to become an example to follow.
Self-knowledge presupposes communicating assertively when something does not go as expected, knowing how to say no and also admitting when some request or dynamic in your routine exceeds your limits.
Therefore, do daily exercises and reflect so that you get to know yourself better.
4. Interpersonal intelligence
Social tact is another essential skill to be an exemplary leader and means being able to establish a good dialogue with different types of people, as well as understanding the best time to be firm or friendly, for example.
Next, we will show you some characteristics of a leader related to this point that are extremely valuable:
a) know how to listen
Being an exemplary leader is understanding that no one works completely alone and that, in one way or another, you depend on other people to do a good job, whether they are your colleagues or your clients.
In any case, it is important that you consider that your ideas or opinions are not true like fists and that it is essential to know how to listen other points of viewwith consideration and respect.
The leaders who take this position contribute to a more integrated, harmonious and cohesive work environment, which hits directly and positively in the commitment, and, of course, in the results.
b) Know how to express yourself
In the same way that knowing how to listen directly affects the authority of a leader before his team, it is essential to be able to express himself objectively and clearly.
Many times, the way a topic is approached is as important (or more) than what is said.
For neurolinguistics, one of the basic premises in communication is that the responsibility of the dialogue is always with the communicator and not with the listener.
In other words, for communication to be established successfully, the person who communicates must focus on transmitting their message clearly.
And communicating well is much more than choosing the right words and having a good also implies choosing the right tone and moment to speak, one of the characteristics that a leader can never forget.
c) To give feedback
To build a healthy professional routine, it is necessary that all those involved in the execution of a task have a clear notion of the quality of the work they are doing.
In this sense, it is essential that a good leader build a culture of in the workplace.
Without feedback highlighting strengths and pointing out weaknesses, professionals won’t have solid parameters on how to improve their work – and that’s a leader’s responsibility.
Well communicated comments are always potentially constructive. The positives work as an extra motivation for those who receive the praise, while the criticisms become a kind of chart that reveals what needs to be perfected.
It is important to note that the feedback () must be given individually. At the end of the day, correcting a collaborator in front of their colleagues is impolite and not constructive.
Remember that, when offering feedback, clarity and transparency are basic requirements.
d) Set well-defined goals
To achieve any goal, it is necessary clear that define, step by step, what needs to be done to achieve itsince it works like a script that helps the team maintain focus.
Therefore, setting well-defined goals is more than a differential to be a leader, it is an essential characteristic that you must develop.
Goals do not necessarily need to be expressed in numbers (such as profits, returns, etc.), but they must be measurable.
e) Seriousness and professionalism
Professionalism is much more than a serious posture in the work environment. It refers to our ability to manage different factors in a way that does not compromise the work done, such as: humor, satisfaction, tolerance, among others.
Being professional also means having well-defined ethics; know how to make the right decisions even when they are not advantageous for you; respect differences and deal with adversity without losing composure.
A good leader is always an example of professionalism, in the end, leadership alone must be inspiring. Therefore, your way of acting should be admired and inspired by those who work with you.
5. Empathy
Closely related to emotional balance and interpersonal intelligence, it is the ability to put yourself in another’s place, that is, to identify with what someone feels in a given situation.
This is an important characteristic of leaders because we know that people do not always have a good day or are in a good moment, and that interferes with the quality of work, relationships and team balance.
Therefore, an exemplary leader must constantly to know when those they lead need their support in the face of difficulty, but also to celebrate great achievements together.
This ability reinforces the humanity of the leader and creates a feeling of collaboration and closeness in the work environment that benefits everyone and the company.
6. Be An example
The goal of every leader should be for their team to work in the most effective way. possible, achieving the expected goals and objectives. But before demanding it from others, those who lead must set the example.
In this sense, one of the characteristics of a leader is behave as he expects the rest to do, dedicating himself to his obligations, correcting and assuming their mistakes, thus improving their performance.
7. Take good decisions
One of the biggest challenges in the corporate world is knowing how to assess the environment and its variables in order to make the most appropriate decisions. This guarantees the success of a company and the quality of deliveries.
A characteristic that cannot be lacking in a leader is knowing how to decide correctly. And we’re not just talking…
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