Whether you are the CEO of a large and prosperous company or an employee whom others depend on, the qualities of true leadership are identical.
Leadership is often confused with authority, but a leader can be anyone at the company — even an entry-level employee. You can see the impact these key employees have on the productivity, effectiveness and morale of their colleagues and sometimes even their managers.
Cultivate these 5 leadership qualities in yourself and look for them in others. Not only will they help determine the overall success of your business. They can also allow you discover those with the potential to eventually ascend to more influential positions within your organization:
1. Transparency
When issues remain unknown, they can fester into serious problems. Sharing openly increases trust and invites others to follow your example.
2. Willingness to learn
Front-line employees are one of the greatest sources of information at a manager’s disposal. They have firsthand knowledge of the impact that high-level decisions have on customers and other front-line employees.
3. Creativity
Problem solving is one of the highest forms of creativity for everyone at a company. So don’t just think outside the box, design a better one. When managers create a space where employees feel heard and appreciated, the great ideas can flow beautifully from concept to execution.
4. Intuition
The logical mind is an amazing tool but it isn’t the only one. In today’s data-driven world, take a step back to contextualize the numbers. Employees and managers all need to weigh evidence before making a decision and then trust their intuitions. Once a decision is made, stand by it so that others will feel confident about your leadership.
5. Adaptability
Perhaps you think you have created the perfect plan and outline for your next project. Inevitably, something will come along and force you to change your course of action. You need to fearlessly adapt to change and encourage others to be nimble enough to roll with the punches.