While the 20th century was called the management century, the current century is the leadership century. Everyone talks about leadership. Many experts offer pieces of training, support, coaching, and whatever we think we need to become the best representation of our internal leadership presence.
A 2019 Gallup research has indicated that in 2018 there were published more than 147 000 articles on leadership and more than 6 000 books.
With this picture in mind you can imagine that the topic of leadership is more important than the deceases that are hitting the world these days Leaders are needed in every area of life and business. And not only leaders but good leaders, able to change the environment for good.
There are many descriptions of what a good leader stands for and what characteristics each good leader must poses. Here is a list of characteristics I have identified as a need for the good leader to succeed:
Open-minded
Have you seen the person in a leadership role, who says to everything: “We are doing this that way”, “There is no need for change”, “I have set up this to work that way and it works”. Still, in the traditional structures and organizations you will see such people on leadership roles. They struggle to accept that change is needed and focus on ensuring different results by implementing new things. The successful leader nowadays is the one who Is open to new ideas and ready to rethink its strategy to ensure a more productive and winning environment.
Passionate and anticipating crisis
Maybe you have seen this group of leaders too. They stay away from troubles; they do all the things slowly and with almost no energy. A good leader is the one who shows passion for what he or she wants to achieve. And this passion translates to others, involving them in the change for creating a greater good. The good leader does not run away from challenges and crises but sees them as opportunities for a positive change
Creative and entrepreneurial
It looks obvious, but a Gallup research, back in 2018 has shown that 23% of people in leadership positions struggle with this quality. Creative simply means to stop working only by the rules and try thinking about how to change them for better. And here, after you have thought hard about how you can change the status quo established, you will need to start the process by yourself and be a working live example for others, how change makes things different and better. Entrepreneurial thinking and acting are crucial for every leadership role. The leader is the one who needs to light up the spark and bring new and better ways into work,
Constant learner
The old paradigms have always pointed to the knowledge that leaders pose. This knowledge was irreversible and enough to do the job. In a century with a fast-paced environment, changing on high-speed wheels we need to constantly be up to date with the trends and new methods and tools that can help us ensure a more productive environment bringing higher results. The leader of today is the one who brings new things on the table with the intent to change the environment, but also the one who is not afraid to learn openly from every source he or she sees as valuable. And by every, I mean not only books, courses and mentors and coaches, but also colleagues at work and relatives who are experts in a certain area of expertise.
Empathetic and effective communicator
To be empathetic does not mean to be in the same mood as the other person you meet and talk to. To be empathic means to show understanding of how the other person feels or where he/she stays as understanding and expertise and adapt your communication style to their level and mental condition. Understanding others and adapting communication styles to them is another important quality of the winning leader.
Responsible and self-driven
Do you still remember your first boss? If not, do not be shy to admit it and know you are not alone. Many people have quit their first job because they thought that their boss has been passive, irresponsible, and blaming others. Well, I have had the pleasure to work for an amazing person who was always there when I needed him and acted as the drive for change and growth at the company he led. The modern leader is the person who takes responsibility for its own and others’ success. This leader does not wait for someone else to tell him how and when to act, this person is the one who serves as a driver to its followers, ensuring that his drive for results creates new opportunities and higher results
Visionary
To work for someone who waits for everyone else to make the first step in everything can kill your motivation and engagement in a short-term period. Leaders who want to change the current environment are the ones who can create a vision for the future. The one leader who can create the most challenging, but still fulfilling and engaging vision wins it all.
Problem solver able to promote teamwork
While people are social animals, we need to learn how to work together. But people are different. Not all of us work well with others and this often causes conflicts, generates problems at work, and delays results. The catalysator of teamwork is often called a team leader. The person able to be so flexible that can solve team problems and influence others to work together, by bringing the best out of each of them. The best leaders today are those able to combine people’s strengths and bring people to work together toward meeting company goals and objectives while feeling engaged and motivated.
Resilient and decisive
Maybe you have met them. People who do not fall in front of fear and challenges and have a clear strategy to act. These people are not afraid to act, face the challenges, and work toward the status quo, with a clear mind that what they do is changing the team and the environment for good. These are today’s leaders – they are ready to meet the challenges that occur and never stop searching for the next best solution that can make the team more successful. They see obstacles as opportunities to build on resilience.
Critical Thinker
Good leaders challenge easy decisions. They always search for more information. They challenge people in the team to boost their development. A good leader is the one who searches for the most meaningful decision by stimulating complex thinking. He is also the one who challenges people in the team to search for more than the obvious decision they see. That leads to better decisions and works positively on the decision-making skills of the person in the team.
Influencer
The old paradigms, back in the 20th century have positioned the leader as the one who gives instructions and controls the work. The new leader is the one who works on people’s accountability. It is the person, able to explain the purpose of what he or she asks for and attract people to work on the tasks be giving the best of them. This does not mean for people to be highly engaged and motivated. In many cases best leaders work with a deficit of motivation and engagement. What influencing others’ stay is to ensure that the leader can count on everyone’s involvement, energy, and willingness to finish the work although people do not have anything they want.
Good organizer
Why Organizer instead of Manager?
Managers control people to follow the rules established by them. Organizers organize people to work together by giving them the freedom to give their best without feeling judged on the way they act. Good leaders are those able to bring people together and let them give their best to fulfill team and company goals.
IN CONCLUSION:
You do not need to be perfect to become a leader. But what you need to understand is that the leader is the person who pulls people forward, instead of trying to keep them backward. The modern leader is the one who one’s more knowledge and skills and is at the same time humble ad ready to admit he or she is a vulnerable living human.
The Human place 