The traits of a leader would make sense after debunking a myth on whether a leader is born or is made. This myth shall be completely removed once we dissect the leadership journey.
Self-awareness is step number one for any leader. They have a deep understanding of who they really are, their strengths, limitations, opportunities and threats. They are in touch with the core values and are in pursuit of discovering their true north.
Having discovered their true north, they relentlessly move in the direction of fulfilling their purpose and align this to the overall vision and values of the organisation they head. In so doing, they uplift all stakeholders connected with their company, i.e. the employees, shareholders, vendors, society and the environment.
The genesis cited above makes it clear that leaders are made – leadership is not a one-off event nor something to fluke. It is learned, practiced and demands discipline to act and follow through on commitments made to the self and others.
Leaders should possess some unique character traits when compared to others. These too are learned:
Mindset that a leader must possess
A leader should have an open mindset where learning is a continuous and never-ending process. The leader never takes for granted their qualifications, experience and achievements but realize that change is the only constant. The see growth and learning as mutually dependent.
Emotional Dexterity of a leader
The leader has to know, understand and respond to emotions. They also possess the ability to overcome stress in the moment and are aware of how their words and actions affect others. The calm and positive demeanor of the leader, even in stressful situations, will help two way communication with their team. Emotional Dexterity is a key component of effective leadership. Emotionally strong leaders can connect with people at all levels to achieve success against all odds.
Agility of a leader
Leaders are experts in finding good solutions to problems in the worst of cases. If things go wrong, the leader should be capable of making things right immediately. Sometimes it may require a complete rework; in such cases, the unique character of agility reveals the potential capacity of the leaders. They have to overcome fear and help people change their mindsets to complete work effectively and efficiently.
A leader need not prove their worth to others, but in embodying these traits in itself assures them that they are in the right direction. This is critical because despite their sincere efforts they may not achieve the desired destination, some things may slip through the cracks. Ultimately, I personally feel that a true leader’s potential does not come out when they succeed but when they fail!
Ecube training with an experience of over 50 years in the space of leadership development, offers leadership training programs that make leaders excellent. Through experiential learning, these traits are ingrained in leaders.
