Are you an effective leader? Not only do we ask this question of ourselves, but our organization is also asking it about us every day. And they are evaluating us. Here are the key traits that leaders must have and exhibit if they are going to be successful.
1. Mission setting ability. A mission defines the reason an organization exists. It sets the business apart. Have you created one for your company? Is this readily understood across the organization?
2. Visionary. This identifies where the company wants to go and what it wants to be when it gets there. Has the long term opportunity for the company been developed and provocatively communicated?
3. Smart. Leaders are analytical, creative and thoughtful. They have the brain power to understand situations and find the right path of action.
4. Competitive. Leaders want to win and they do. Leaders understand that competition is a good thing for personal and professional growth because it sharpens skills.
5. Positive Attitude. There are many quotes from famous people in all walks of life that support the importance of attitude. Success in life is based more on mental attitude than mental capacity. The leader's attitude always seeps through. Positive or negative.
6. Tenacity. There are going to be rough spots in any organization’s progress. In fact, the rough spots may be disasters that must be overcome. Leaders have the ability to not only stay the course despite the difficulties, but also to inspire others to do so as well.
7. Improvement orientation. Businesses must grow in terms of getting better and better or they will stagnate and die. A leader has to be in a state of continuous improvement and that comes from a combination of learning and executing.
8. Decisiveness. Leaders are action oriented. They gather the facts and they come to well reasoned, fact based decisions. They make the decision and do not delegate it or put it off.
9. Courageous. Leaders take risks – smart, educated risks. They choose a course of action and make it happen.
10. Motivating. Leaders find the good in opportunities and the good in people and cause people to find the means of capitalizing on opportunities and overcoming the hurdles.
11. Sense of humor. In order to survive, the leader has to have a good sense of humor, both for their own good and the good of the team and the organization.
12. Honest and ethical. This goes without saying. Leaders must have good values or their followers will leave them quickly.
How did you do on this check list? Contact us if we can help you with any of these.
Thanks,
John
John MaverPresidentMaver Management Group(925) 648-7561Maver Management
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