What Qualities Make a Good Leader?

Good leaders must learn throughout their career.

Leadership can be defined as an action verb. Effective leaders take risks, measure results and consider feedback--then they try again. Leaders must problem solve and make tough choices every day, some of which may affect their employees' lives. Because of these and other responsibilities, good leaders can be hard to find. While every organization is different and requires different qualities of its leaders, there are some common qualities all good leaders share.

Communication

"Communication is the real work of leadership," according to Harvard Business School professor Nitin Nohria. Effective leaders know how to share their message with employees across all levels, no matter how difficult or challenging that message may be. Key to such effective communication is knowing who you are speaking to and the best way to reach them. Not all audiences will respond in the same way to the same type of message. Tailoring your communications approach is a hallmark of a strong leader.

Listening

Listening goes hand in hand with communication. Many people take good listening for granted, but effective listening is a skill that requires learning, practice and discipline. It takes time to slow down and pay attention to other people without imposing your own thoughts, getting distracted, or thinking about your response at the expense of hearing what the other person is saying. To be an effective leader, you must be a great listener. Good leaders are able to hear what their employees have to say, and use that information to get results.

Openness

Once a leader understands how to listen to what his employees have to say, he needs to be open to what they are telling him. Set aside any bias or preconceived notions when listening to employee ideas and challenges. Even if a leader has worked her way up from the foundation of a company, things change and evolve. Being open to criticism, ideas and change allows leaders to foster an environment of respect and trust.

Honesty

Facing the truth--and sharing that truth with employees may be one of the most difficult aspects of leadership. When times are tough, it can be daunting to let others know your company is struggling because no one wants to show weakness or vulnerability. However, being honest can do just the opposite by showing a leader's strength. "Great leadership does not mean running away from reality," says Harvard Business School professor John Kotter. "Sometimes the hard truths might just demoralize the company, but at other times sharing difficulties can inspire people to take action that will make the situation better."

References

• Harvard Business School: What Makes a Good Leader by Deborah Blagg and Susan Young
• HRWorld: The Top 10 Leadership Qualities by David Hakala