Kery Characteristics and Areas to Become a Better Leader

Whatever level we are at in our career, leadership qualities play a crucial role in further growth. It is one quality which sets us apart without making us apart. This is because one can not be a leader in isolation. You can be a true leader only if everyone remains with you.

A leader must maintain focus, set common causes, work under pressure, control their feelings, be an individual others wish to emulate, go the hard route, and get others to rally behind them. Pretty tough!

However, research published in August 2017 from Harvard University showed that gaining leadership positions is more important to people than ever before, with 61% of Gen Y survey respondents seeking leadership positions as opposed to 57% of Gen X respondents.

So, what are some of the ways to become a good leader?

Pursuing these simple recommendations can hone your capability to lead others.

Show Confidence

Whilst leading is rewarding, it involves its fair share of scrutiny. Be prepared for this in advance. As a leader, you have to be secure and feel good about yourself. You need to have the ability to believe in yourself and reassure yourself that you are on the right track before you begin to gain support for your leadership.

Don’t allow criticism to prevent you from leading, but at the same time don’t become blind to good ideas. Break every medium to long-term strategy into smaller-sized milestones, and after completing a milestone, reflect on what could have been carried out better. This will show others that you are open to continuous improvement and is a sure way to gain respect.

Sell Yourself as a Leader

Supporters will welcome what you say and want to do, while others will take an opposing stand. You must take a ‘glass-half-full approach and maintain your composure in the face of criticism or resistance. This is the starting point for selling yourself as a leader. Be open with your critics, their ideas, and their strategies. Encourage debate and ask for suggestions on how best to make progress.

Keep Your Cool

One of the primary attributes of a true leader is the capability to manage feelings in all types of situations. Any emotional outburst, even if caused by genuine pressures, may make others think that you have problems handling certain scenarios.

Try to be self-aware and recognize how you react under different types of stress or psychological duress. Once you are aware of your reactions, learn to recognize them the moment they start and react in a more neutral and positive manner.

Keeping cool even in the most adverse situation is a very crucial characteristic of a true leader.

Be Prepared to Confront When Required

Sooner or later, anyone trying to be a leader is going to experience one-to-one confrontation. You want one thing, and the other party wants something else. You will not always win. The key is to stay objective and listen to the other person. In fact, sometimes the other party may talk themselves around to your perspective. Focus on finding something to agree on and make this common ground the starting point for progressive and positive discussions.

Moving Forward

If, at the end of the day, you have to lead an individual who just can’t work productively under your leadership, then you have to have the strength of character to move a situation forward in the way you want. Persistent delays can kill a business, not to mention how demotivating they can be for the rest of a team or entire company. The show must go on, and either get your critics on board and behind you or tell them to jump aboard another bandwagon!