A majority of us look up to a leader to get influenced and feel motivated in our lives. While some people are certain that leaders are born, we believe that although some of the leaders are blessed with natural leadership traits, others develop these personality traits over years of training, practice, perception and experience. A good leader is the one who creates an effective balance between all the things he or she is responsible for and knows how to seize an unprecedented opportunity. These leadership traits play a great role in making people effective in their professional lives. To help you efficiently climb up your career ladder, here are 8 personality traits shared by successful leaders that can be adapted with experience and practice.
Good character
One of the first things which people notice in successful leaders is their character. These leaders are often humble, friendly, approachable, sensitive, honest, flexible and down to earth. They prefer to maintain their poise in every situation and gracefully handle a difficult situation. The good character of these leaders makes them stand apart from the average and plays a great role in their success.
Adaptive
Great leaders also face obstacles that might hinder their success. However, their adaptive nature makes them more open to other viable options to overcome any hurdle. For example, when business managers are more willing to adapt their business strategy as needed, they are more likely to save an organisation from unexpected jeopardy. The random strategies managers adapt depending on the situation make them successful leaders who can effectively sail their boats with the wind.
Compassionate
Successful leaders are always compassionate towards other individuals. Whether it is a co-worker, an employee or a subordinate, a great leader treats everybody with compassion. Showing compassion towards others creates a dynamic environment in the surrounding where people feel valued. When managers show compassion towards employees irrespective of their role in the organisation, the team members feel more connected and are motivated to give their best performance at work.
Demonstrates integrity
Leaders often show integrity in their values while dealing with others or while taking any decisions. They are not biased and follow clear conviction while choosing between right and wrong. People trust great leaders and respect them for being righteous, honest, ethical and consistent. These characteristics of honesty and integrity help leaders get rewarded with respect, loyalty and confidence from other people.
Disciplined
Another most common personality trait of successful leaders is discipline. As successful leaders are emotionally intelligent, they try to remain patient and calm under pressure. They prefer to maintain discipline and refrain from mixing their emotions with their words or actions. They have the ability to contemplate their thoughts and feelings before turning them into actions. This ability to observe self-control under pressure helps leaders take beneficial decisions based on personal and public interest.
Confident
With years of experience and training, successful leaders become confident and overcome all the hurdles with courage. They view hardships as tests which need to be dealt with patience and rational thinking. Successfully overcoming these hardships raises the level of confidence of great leaders. Additionally, great leaders also inspire their team by boosting their morale. A great leader at work keeps his or her entire focus on the business goals and does not allow anything to discourage the team members from achieving success.
Positive
Successful leaders prefer to lead their lives by setting an example. Thus, they develop a positive attitude towards everything and build credibility while gaining the respect of others. They are able to demonstrate positive behaviour in every situation because they are genuinely concerned about others and are naturally helpful. These leaders try to stay away from personal criticism and negativity. Even while demanding anything from their team, they align their words and actions to encourage the team members to follow the organisation’s vision.
Curious
While we expect a leader to know each and everything, successful leaders are never satisfied with the knowledge they possess. They are always curious to learn more and try to be up-to-date with the latest innovations and models. This curiosity also inspires them to explore new subjects beyond their field and in turn, use new and innovative ideas to improve their job.