Traits of a Good Leader: Patriotism and perseverance missing among our leaders
By Peter Wek Mabioordit, Juba, South Sudan
Sunday, July 15, 2018 (PW) — Many people fall into leadership positions either by choice or chance. Unfortunately, not all of them are guaranteed to succeed in their work. Actually, it takes knowledge, integrity and grit to expertly guide any group towards its goals.
The notion that some people were born to lead is entirely wrong. While there are certainly some individuals born with desirous leadership qualities like charm, charisma and the ability to inspire loyalty, key leadership traits like patriotism and perseverance are actually learned things.
Moreover, the leadership qualities that one is capable of learning rather than those which are inherently possessed tend to be the most valuable when determining the likelihood of success. As an aspiring leader, the following are some of the desired leadership traits that you must possess before embarking on any major endeavors;
You must have the ability to recognize talent and delegate duties. The ability to recognize talent and delegate duties effectively and efficiently is how leaders inspire loyalty and confidence in their subordinates. When you exaggerate details pertaining to sales, payouts, reports and deadlines, team member morale will decline.
Moreover, the rest of the group members will lose enthusiasm in the work and stop trusting you as their leader. But when you’re a leader who puts things right then you’ll reap the fruits of your good leadership. Another trait that you must possess to be a competent leader is decisiveness. Good leaders make tough decisions in line with their jobs.
They understand that in certain situations, difficult and timely decisions must be made in the best interests of the entire organization I.e. decisions that require firmness, authority and finality that’ll not please everyone. Extraordinary leaders don’t hesitate in such situations. They know when to act unilaterally but foster collaborative decision making.
Good leaders have a unique brand of empathy. They praise in public and address problems in private with a genuine concern without hidden interests. The best leaders guide their employees through challenges and are always on the lookout for solutions to enhance the long-term success of the organization.
Rather than making things personal when they encounter problems or assigning blame to individuals, wise leaders look for constructive solutions and focus on moving forward. Real leaders do not fear accountability. Instead they take responsibility for everyone’s performance including their own.
They follow up on all outstanding issues, check in on employees and monitor the effectiveness of organization or company’s policies and procedures. When things are going well, they praise but when problems arise they quickly identify them, seek solutions and get things back on track as soon as possible.
Strong leaders must have confidence which should be contagious in the sense that employees are naturally drawn to them, seek their advice and feel more confident as a result. When challenged, they don’t give in too easily because they know their ideas, opinions and strategies are well-informed and the result of much hard work.
But when proven wrong, they take responsibility and quickly act to improve the situations within their authority.
Strong leaders are optimistic. They’re a source of positive energy and inspiration. They can communicate easily and are intrinsically helpful and genuinely concerned for other people’s welfare. They always seem to have a solution and also know what to say in order to inspire and reassure. They avoid personal criticism and pessimistic thinking and find ways of gaining consensus and convincing people to work together as a team.
Honesty also defines a leader. Strong leaders treat their people the same way they would want to be treated. They’re extremely ethical and believe that honesty, effort and reliability form the foundation of success. They embody these values so overtly that no employee doubts their integrity for a minute. They share information openly and avoid spin control.
Good leaders have focus. They plan ahead and are supremely organized. They think through multiple scenarios and the possible impacts of their decisions, while considering viable alternatives and making plans and strategies, all directed toward success. Once prepared, they establish strategies, processes and routines so that a high performance is tangible, easily defined and monitored.
They communicate their plans to key players and have contingency plans in the event that last-minute changes require a new direction (which they often do).Strong leaders are inspirational. They communicate clearly and concisely and often by doing so motivate everyone to give his or her best all the time. They challenge their people by setting high but attainable standards and expectations and then giving them the support, tools, training and latitude to pursue those goals and become the best they can possibly be.
In conclusion, as an aspiring leader you must have the ability to embrace and create change in your organization. Although you may not be a naturally-born leader, there are countless options for you to develop your leadership skills especially through internships. At the end of the day the passion for what you want to achieve, confidence and simply getting that good old- fashioned experience will row the boat further for you. Stay blessed!
The author is a South Sudanese poet and researcher. His areas of interest include business administration, women empowerment, poverty alleviation, cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence in the society. He is reachable via his email: wekmabior@gmail.com
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