In today’s business world, a growing emphasis has been placed on finding leaders rather than mere managers. In order to remain competitive in cutthroat marketplaces, companies need individuals in the driver’s seat that have the vision and motivational skills to come up with the products and services of tomorrow.

Unfortunately, identifying the makeup of a great leader is a concept that people have puzzled over for centuries with very little success. But as management theory has become more sophisticated, and more empirically based, it has become more possible than ever to separate leaders from managers.

Top Qualities that True Leaders Possess

Honesty

As a leader, the buck stops with you. You must take responsibility for both your successes and failures while giving credit where credit is due. Honesty is at the forefront of ethics, and if you are perceived to be dishonest, you will never be truly respected.

Communication

You have a vision, but it is up to your team to carry it out. That means you must be able to clearly communicate your goals, the challenges your team faces, and the path forward. History has shown that the best leaders inspire and guide using clear, confident, direct modes of communication.

Confidence

It is both your burden and your privilege to be tasked with making big decisions that will affect the lives of many. If you cannot be confident about those decisions, and project that confidence to your team, you can’t expect your ideas to be met with enthusiasm.

Creativity

If doing the same thing over and over made for great leaders, there would be a lot more leaders in the world. The best leaders can chart a new path forward, think with agility, and identify solutions that have never been attempted.

Intuition

The flip side of being bold and creative is that you must deal with a lot of uncertainty. Great leaders are able to manage the unknown using intuition. Uncertainties are inevitable in your role as a leader, and you often must rely on your gut to show you the right decision.

Ability to Inspire

As a leader, it is not your accomplishments that matter, but those of your team. In the end, it is their labors that make progress possible. If you cannot inspire your team to work harder, longer, smarter, or differently, you haven’t really led anyone.

Positivity

No one wants to follow a leader that is constantly angry, dejected, stressed, or withdrawn. As the leader, it is you responsibility to set the attitude for your entire team, and if you act negatively, it’s contagious. Remaining positive, even when times are tough, is one of the hallmarks of great leaders.

If being a great leader sounds tough, you have obviously been paying attention. It takes an exceptional individual to really lead effectively. Rest assured, however, that great leaders are not just born, they can be made, too. If you want to be more than just a manager, work on cultivating these skills, and read more about great leaders at your company, in your industry, and throughout history. For additional guidance, rely on the employment experts at The Squires Group.