Businesses breed competition, so whether it is a fledgling startup or an established enterprise, having someone who is capable of leading the way to success is crucial. A role like this comes with responsibilities that a leader must be confident to tackle head-on while creating a supportive network around their team.
Here, at MentorCruise, we strive to help bring out the best leadership qualities, offering guidance and assistance whatever the stage of your leadership career. We have put together the top 8 essential qualities that we think make you a successful and thriving leader of the pack.
#1. Bold Vision
“Vision is a picture of the future that produces passion” - Bill Hybels
Leaders with a strong vision enable growth within a business. Tech leaders such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have managed to secure funding for bold ideas that were not widespread. For a blast into the past, just read this 2016 Wall Street Journal article that expressed derision towards electric car manufacturers such as Tesla and their ability to produce popular and profitable vehicles.
An important skill of a visionary leader is being able to envision the overall goal of the business. In doing so you have the foresight to predict upcoming challenges or changes in the industry, seizing every opportunity to adapt and evolve.
When people are surrounded by inspiring leaders, they too feel passionate and enthusiastic. Visionary leaders keep teams invested in future projects and the well-being of the company as a whole. As an innovative and creative leader, you are offering purpose and steering colleagues to all work towards the same achievements.
How to improve
Without a purpose or goal in mind, it can be hard to focus. While remaining true to the key principles of the business, create clarity and intention going forward. Think about what the business stands for and why, from here you can formulate a plan for the future of the company.
While some aspects of your vision may be more obvious than others, hone in on the subtle details which can easily be missed. A good visionary leader can filter through the information to find the hidden threads of opportunity and solutions, without being overwhelmed.
For constructive feedback and advice to help you grow and transform as a leader, speak to one of our mentors. At MentorCruise, we have a community of mentors who specialize in an array of business topics, including leadership and team management.
#2. Confidence and Courage
“Confidence comes from not always being right, but from not fearing to be wrong” - Peter .T McIntyre
Often we don’t recognise our full potential, overwhelmed by the fear of failure. This essential trait can be found in iconic leaders everywhere, from Martin Luther King to Nelson Mandela — figures who have fought tyranny and oppression against all odds. Accepting that you will not always be right is an important part of this trait. Having self-confidence and the self-belief to make tough decisions and take risks for the company is an admirable quality.
Taking responsibility and putting concepts and plans into action to better a company sets a prime example for fellow team members. It builds a level of trust that creates a positive working environment, knowing that you are reliable and dependable when it comes to larger, serious decisions or even the smaller, day-to-day running of the business.
How to improve
Gaining confidence is often found internally. Addressing your fears and self-doubt can help you understand where your lack of self-confidence stems from. Being able to identify it, can help you overcome it. Instead of focusing on weaknesses, concentrate on your strengths and recognize the ability that they allow.
#3. Good Communication
“Great leaders communicate, and great communicators lead” - Simon Sinek
One of the most essential leadership qualities is good communication on every level. From the daily running of the business to building meaningful relationships with colleagues, communication plays a part in the effective functioning of a company.
Genuine interaction with colleagues, wherever they sit within the business hierarchy, has a major influence on a business. Investing in your team members creates loyalty and trust, allowing them to open up and share their thoughts. Communication requires active listening, giving your team members the chance to voice their thoughts and opinions. Implementing these thoughts into action takes it one step further.
How to improve
Listening is one of, if not the, most important tool of communication. Winston A master orator and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom throughout the Second World War, Winston Churchill advocates that great communication is clear, purposeful, precise and sincere. As a wartime leader, effective communication allowed him to cut through the noise and chaos of the war.
Being present and mindful of the speaker is the best way to learn and grow. Build trust with others, and ask questions to find out more. Even as a leader, you don’t know everything, so gain knowledge by giving yourself a better perspective.
Listen to your own mind and body, creating awareness of your emotions. This allows for enhanced connection with yourself and your followers. Sometimes communication is subtle and delivered through expression rather than words, like facial expressions, hand gestures, and body language. Apply this to yourself. Appearing confident in your own body language is meaningful as a role model for your team.
#4. Mentoring Abilities
“Leaders don’t create followers, they create more leaders” - Tom Peters
As a leader, people look up to you. They rely on you for direction, guidance, and advice. If you have the ability to mentor you can help others focus on their goals, providing knowledge, support, and encouragement for your team.
You can invest in your team by listening, directing, and giving honest feedback to build trust. Showing enthusiasm and passion for your mentees and their achievements creates a positive environment for the whole team.
How to improve
Actively listening to your team forms a connection. Listen to their concerns and ideas so they feel heard and understood. Help identify their targets and show them how to get there. Give feedback that is constructive, applauding them for their strengths and offering them solutions for their weaknesses. Aim to be encouraging and inspiring.
MentorCruise offers a community to support your role as a leader, so why not get mentoring from a trained, experienced expert and be on the career track you want to be? Apply today!
#5. Empathetic Attitude
“The highest form of knowledge is empathy” - Bill Bullard
Empathy is an effective skill to have through all areas of your life. Having an open mind and understanding of your individual team members promotes a better community and overall team. As another form of communication, you have the capability to care and show concern for your followers and make each person feel welcome and understood.
An empathetic attitude encourages inclusivity within a group, acknowledging that each member is as important as the other. It benefits skills in areas such as creativity and collaboration, forming a strong bond between you and your team.
How to improve
Strongly intertwined with communication, one of the best ways to adopt an empathetic attitude is to listen. Without judgment, be present in the moment by listening to your team, encouraging those who may be less likely to speak up, whilst also paying close attention to body language.
#6. Agility
“Success today requires the agility and drive to constantly rethink, reinvigorate, react and reinvent” - Bill Gates
Within business, agility is seen as a ‘reflective action,’ a skill that means you can step away from your current focus, observe the bigger picture, before reacting and putting new plans into action. It regards how effectively and quickly you adapt to circumstances. With practice, the speed and effectiveness of this increases and becomes an integral part of a changing business landscape.
How to improve
Agility is about reaction, so learning to anticipate and expect change is significant. It’s beneficial to learn how to predict and cope with potentially chaotic change, often with little direction or guidance. Making quick and effective decisions with minor knowledge is a vital skill set.
#7. Kinetic Leadership
“Nothing in this world is static…everything is kinetic…if there is no ‘progression’…there is bound to be ‘regression’” - Abha Maryada Banerjee
Simply put, a kinetic leader references a leader who takes action. While many leaders may be talented with various opportunities, they can stay stagnant. A kinetic leader, on the other hand, will put their words into action, moving forward and pushing plans to go ahead.
A kinetic leader will be inspiring and motivating for their team. Moving with the change they promote growth within the business, creating an infectious feeling of enthusiasm and passion for the company.
How to improve
Much like agility traits, you will need to learn to understand and anticipate change to navigate your business through it. As a kinetic leader, you will push innovation and effectively manage each chapter of change. This is often linked to technology, the ever-changing progress of the technology era plays a large part in the future of businesses.
#8. Learning and Growing
“Leadership is not an expertise, leadership is a constant education” - Simon Sinek
As a leader, you will never stop learning and educating yourself. It’s imperative to do this, as constant growth and development lead to improvement. This improvement could be internal for the leader themselves, or it can be external, outwardly influencing individual team members or the benefit of the whole organization.
Part of learning is understanding weaknesses, so by addressing those you can create strategies and solutions to move forward. Learning also teaches patience and respect which can positively impact your team too.
How to improve
Strive for knowledge by challenging yourself with new skills, keeping your mind switched on. All the other points we have looked at today are aspects of learning and growing. Each leadership quality offers something new to learn each day.
If you’d like more guidance on growth and development, MentorCruise can help. From advising projects to on-the-job technology training, our mentors can help you stem educational and organizational shifts without slowing you down.
Book a Session With MentorCruise Now
Maintaining your career as a leader requires responsibility and skill. Implementing these leadership qualities into your role will lead the way to success, pioneering for growth and evolution. Speaking with a mentor at MentorCruise can positively impact your development in these skills, assessing, guiding, and supporting your road to success wherever you are in your journey.
Book an ‘Introductory Call’ session in minutes with MentorCruise to develop your leadership qualities.