[July 29, 2020] A good leader can come in many different shapes and forms, depending on who, what, and where they need to lead. But no matter what the situation, there are some qualities that shine through all of the best leaders – as John C. Maxwell famously described a good leader as one who “knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” Being able to manifest these skills can often make the critical difference between victory and defeat when it comes to a project.
Business innovator Peter Drucker put it best when he said: “Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things.” Regardless of the situation one finds themselves put in charge of, these are the top five skills that separate the average manage from a truly gifted leader.
Innovation
While it’s easy to follow the status quo, a good leader knows the importance of breaking from the pack and having the confidence to try new things. Good leaders should consider deep planning or writing an essay in order to ensure maximum success of the ventures they lead. Alex from Paperell.com says that a good leader is one who can make use of every idea and every service available to them in order to create an innovative and solid plan. Great leaders are remembered for their ability to create great, well-thought-out change!
Emotional Intelligence
Being a leader means working with other people, and working with other people means navigating the complicated world of people’s emotions. A good leader doesn’t let the unpredictability of other people be a hinderance, in fact, they use it to their advantage! Being in charge of other people grants a high amount of influence over how those around you feel, and a good leader will use this to encourage the people around them to work harder.
Communication
Good communication skills are absolutely essential for the ability to direct others and effectively display the skills of a leadership expert. The role of communication presents itself in many different ways when it comes to leadership. A good leader must, of course, be able to effectively delegate tasks and make sure all of their workers are on a level of common understanding.
Embracing failure
An important part of strong leadership is understanding that not every venture will turn out exactly how we imagine it. Failure being an unavoidable part of life is not something we can change, but developing a strategy for how to handle failure is utterly within our power. The best leaders can take on a crisis situation with a cool head, and reason through their next move with logic and a problem-solving mindset.
Decision Making
Being in charge of any project means taking on the responsibility of calling the important shots, and sharp decision-making abilities are one of the most important skills needed to be a leader.
Good leaders also have a well-developed ability to listen to their instincts and follow their gut. Introducing a meditative attitude to your thinking can greatly aid in honing the skill of listening to your inner voice.
Developing leadership skills
While the best leaders confidently display these qualities, it doesn’t mean that leadership skills come without effort. It’s important for those with their minds set on becoming great leaders to not only research topics of leadership but also look inwards and make a commitment to manifesting these skills in their own workplace.
Good articles are not so easy to write because they must not just list facts and figures but must also tell a story. The story is what we remember and the info that attaches to those stories become something we can better recall. Thanks, Jessica. Keep up your blogging. You have started out very well. Do you have a website or another place where your articles can be found?
Loved your article. Well done, Jessica. I like it. Shared it with a number of my friends.
Yeah, me too. Good stuff here. Basic but still good stuff.
Ms. Vainer, are leaders “born” or are leaders “developed?” That is the question of humankind. What are your thoughts on it?
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Yes, “follow your gut.” This means to do what is right even when others around you are telling you not to do it. It means having the courage to stand up and be seen and heard when you understand right from wrong. The problem today with so many young people is that they are following propaganda; they are the problem, they are often the fascists that they so strongly speak against.
I agree Eric. Jessica’s article is a good one and she points out what we should be looking for in a great leader. The problem, I think, is that we don’t encourage those traits she mentions any more.
Knowing right from wrong is not so easy, as demonstrated by the rioting, looting, and arson in our major cities today.
Good article Jessica. You’ve hit some of the key points about leadership. Well done. Keep up the good work.