Great leaders are the driving force and the brains of their organisations. They are the strategists steering their brand away from potential pitfalls. They must know when to seize opportunities and how to motivate employees to work hard towards the company's goals.
While certain people may be born with these skills, the truth is that most leadership traits can be learned and improved with time and effort. These five must-have attributes of a robust, influential leader will help you succeed.
1. Successful communicator
Influential leaders understand when to speak and when to listen. They are good communicators who can pass on anything to their people clearly and concisely, from corporate goals to specific duties. People will fall short if they don't understand or aren't conscious of your objectives. The more detailed you can be, the better.
2. Self-managing
It's challenging to manage people if you can't control yourself effectively. Self-management entails being able to evaluate your goals and taking responsibility for achieving those goals. As a successful leader, you must be able to manage your time, attention and emotions while being aware of your strengths, shortcomings and possible biases.
3. Being accountable and responsible
Responsibility and influence are used effectively by good managers without overwhelming or dominating staff. Influential leaders hold themselves accountable and encourage others to do the same. They can operate within defined protocols and make effective and successful judgments.
4. Encouraging innovation and creativity
Leaders must be willing to take risks to foster creativity. This will propel your company to new heights and help you to navigate the unexpected turns of a shifting commercial landscape.
5. Flexible
True leaders know the power of their leadership is founded on their capacity to adapt to fast-changing conditions and to recognise when and how to capitalise on opportunities in an evolving market.
TAKEAWAY: Influential leaders are more than simply 'managers' or 'bosses'. They've perfected blending enthusiasm, self-assurance, accountability and other traits with a healthy dose of hard work (and a little bit of luck!). Your company's success is dependent on your ability to lead effectively. Only then will your people trust you and allow you to lead them.