People are either followers or leaders. Not all leaders, however, lead equally. A positive and effective leader exhibits particular attributes. Let us look at a few of those attributes.
- Team oriented
Leadership offers people a chance to shine and can trap them into “stealing the limelight” or using their position of power to pursue their own ambitions. Remember, a leader is nothing but a normal person if there is no team to lead! Therefore, people charged with the management of any organization must reflect on the goals of the group as a whole. Keeping those goals in mind helps the team work as a unified body to the benefit of the organization.
- Delegating
People in leadership positions are used to learning a variety of new tasks to help their teams thrive. Yet, taking on too many responsibilities, even with good intentions, can cause the leader to be unproductive. The unsuccessful attempts of such a leader will eventually trickle down and negatively influence the rest of the team. Effective leaders, on the other hand, recognize that some individuals within the organization are more talented at certain tasks. Recognizing these talents and delegating certain tasks to those individuals not only takes a load of the leader, but also communicates to the team that the leader values each teammate’s strengths. When this occurs, organizations become more efficient and leaders can focus on supporting the overarching goals of the team.
- Balancing relationship and growth
Think back to your favorite teacher. Chances are that teacher challenged you in your education, but also took an interest in you as a person. Thriving teams often have a leader who pushes teammates to put their best efforts forward, but also takes the time to see each team member as a human being with human emotions and connections. Individuals within the organization are inspired, perhaps more powerfully than any other motivation, when they are aware that their leader cherishes their unique talents and personalities.
Obviously, there is no cut and dry method to being an effective leader. Just like individuals within a team, different leaders have different strengths and weaknesses. The three points we just covered, however, are common amongst leaders in charge of successful organizations.