Seven Pillars of Exceptional Leadership

Are Leadership Skills Innate or Can They Be Grown? This is a very common question. According to research, leadership skills aren’t just born with us—we learn and master many leadership skills over time. Although some skills are born from family and society, but most of the skills you have to learn. That’s why to be a real leader you need to learn discipline and acquire leadership qualities.

Being a good leader takes time. You may have been leading a department in a company for the past 10-15 years, but to be a real leader, to keep up with the times, you have to constantly learn and practice.

So if you ask what leadership qualities successful people should have – it is not possible to answer in one word. Although I have read biographies of many world leaders and personally met some extraordinary leaders, I have seen some special qualities. If the skills are not present in any leader, his leadership quality is questioned. Let’s discuss 7 such leadership qualities.

1. Visionary

First, a leader must be a visionary. A successful leader knows how to create a clear and achievable vision. He knows how to create a vision that aligns with a business’s overall plan and goals and how to disseminate it across teams. He knows well how to stay focused on the work without leaving uncertainty in the team. And seeing a visionary leader, the whole team is encouraged. A leader can go from being a good leader to being a great leader by properly communicating his vision within the team. He never loses focus from the vision he creates and hence the whole team is always excited. Every employee of the team strives to make the company’s vision a success.

2. Strategic Thinking

A great leader has a clear plan of where to start and where to go. He can properly handle any problems that arise within the team and find solutions within the team. He knows how to remain calm and take quality decisions under pressure. Confidently sets an example of how to share work with teammates. A good business cannot go far without the right planning. And a true leader puts company resources in front of strategic plans and sets realistic goals that bring motivation and discipline to the team. He can show hope to the management by keeping the employees of the company satisfied.

3. Empathy

A successful leader knows that people are just as important as work. And for that it is necessary to be humane. That’s why a great leader is always sympathetic to other employees. They listen to others in the team and are ready to learn anything new. He listens to team members to understand their feelings, needs and shows genuine interest in the people around him. People are influenced by those around them. So, when you as a leader are empathetic, everyone on the team behaves empathetically towards everyone else. That’s why an effective leader pays attention to their team, treating them seriously to make their work successful.

4. Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is a notable quality among the qualities of the best leaders. A good leader drives his team’s projects forward with motivation and enthusiasm. If you yourself are not enthusiastic or energetic, your team will also slack off. Remember that passion is contagious and if you can’t inspire, your team will be reluctant to work as well. So share your joy with those who work with you. Act like they want to follow you—that is, be their role model, be persistent, and take on challenges with positivity. Everyone loves such an energetic leader.

5. Grade Communicator & Collaborator

A true leader is also a good communicator. He can explain and understand complex concepts very easily. He communicates in such a way that others can relate to his point of view. He can easily introduce himself. He is never aggressive and can tackle challenges in team harmony with determination. A great leader listens more than he talks and can handle effectively what words need to be taken seriously. As they keep an eye on their surroundings, they can take control of the situation very carefully. So, to be a great leader you need to know what is going on around you and express yourself carefully with everyone on the team.

6. Grow leaders

Similarly, a leader not only builds himself, but he also spends time building more leaders within the team. He divides each project into small parts and explains it to others, and there he chooses new leaders according to the work. He knows well how to make small teams carry out big tasks. On the other hand, he also takes a serious look at who has the most potential in the team and then assigns the work accordingly. The smaller the team can divide the work, the more effective it is. Bigger projects become easier to complete as teams grow day by day. A good leader understands how to motivate each team member and how to bring out more success from within. That is why a great leader is constantly working efficiently to create new leaders.

7. Fairness/Integrity

Finally, a leader must be fair and honest. Integrity is one of the characteristics of any leader. If a leader has all the above qualities but is dishonest then he cannot influence the team. Other team members do not like working with a dishonest leader. His instructions seem fake to others. So, a leader must be trustworthy—so that others on the team can rely on him. He will treat everyone equally as he will treat everyone equally. Just as he will not impose his mistakes on others, he will give them to those who deserve them. That is, the more honest and transparent a leader’s vision is, the more he will be rewarded for leading with the respect, trust, and loyalty of those he leads.

Hopefully, you have realized what special qualities a successful leader has. Now you have to practice the above qualities more and more to become a real leader. You need to spread these qualities within your team. Then your team will be active and a role model for others.