Leaders wield considerable power over the productivity of their teams and the overall workplace culture. An excellent leader knows how to inspire people to follow their example, produce outstanding results, and work for the good of the organization.
Unfortunately, many leaders fall short of these expectations. As many as 80 percent of work accidents occur from the stress that arises from a negative workplace culture. Seventy percent of employees throughout the United States also say that they do not feel happy at their current position because of poor management. 79 percent report they quit their jobs because they did not feel as though they were fully appreciated.
Fortunately, there are solutions. Leaders can cultivate key positive traits that will improve their ability to successfully manage their teams and generate success for their organizations. The frontrunners who understand the importance of nurturing these traits will learn how to build better teams, hold onto their exceptional employees, and achieve both personal and professional success.
There are 5 positive leadership traits that emerging leaders need to master to bring their management skills to the next level.
1. Excellent communication
For teams to work together effectively, they need a common vision, a plan of action, and a strong leader to lead the way. The leader must be able to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively in order to get the team to accomplish the goal at hand.
An effective communicator will also recognize the views and needs of everyone on the team, allowing people to feel as though they have been heard. It brings people in line with the vision the team needs, empowering them to feel as though they contributed to the discussion rather than simply being told what to do.
Those who excel in communication will ensure that everyone on the team knows their role and responsibilities and how their accomplishments fit within the big picture. When everyone has a clear idea of their job, it helps to alleviate communication challenges within the team as well as identifies any gaps or overlap between employees. Overall, it improves efficiency for the group as a whole.
2. A strong personal work ethic
Leaders who demonstrate a strong work ethic and a clear vision about how to get projects accomplished tend to motivate the people around them. A strong leader wants to encourage those on the team to put in their best effort so that the group can move forward and reach their predefined goals. When management does not put forth the same level of effort, however, it can be challenging to convince others to contribute.
Those who demonstrate integrity in their workmanship, who not only have high expectations for those they manage but also for themselves, naturally earn the respect of their team.
3. Decisiveness and confidence
Although leaders need to understand how to take into account the points of view and needs of their team members to build a strong unit, they also need to be confident in their decision-making skills. Once a decision has been made, the leader needs to throw their full attention towards the plan. Leaders who go back and forth in their decisions will find that they lose time, waste the efforts and resources of their team, and do not inspire confidence from team members. Team members will begin to doubt the ability of the leader to make a firm decision to lead the group forward.
Those who are in positions of management also want to demonstrate confidence in their own skills and abilities. By doing so, it helps to assure everyone from staff members to company investors that this leader has a clear vision for the organization and knows exactly how to get there. When the shareholders and C-suite members recognize confidence in a leader, they are more inclined to give more autonomy to manage their team independently and achieve success for the organization. Conversely, those who demonstrate a lack of confidence can quickly nurture feelings of mistrust and doubt in the eyes of both their own subordinates and those in charge of the entire company.
4. Humility
Besides being decisive and having confidence in both their vision and skills, leaders must also demonstrate humility. In order to achieve great success professionally and personally, a leader cannot operate in a vacuum. A leader needs to understand and recognize the contributions of the rest of their team and allocate credit where it is due. Not only does this help to build comradery within the team, but it also helps staff feel fully appreciated and know that their efforts are recognized by those in leadership positions.
Humility also plays a critical role in recognizing shortcomings. Even with the best possible training and experience, every leader has weaknesses. Those who know that they have areas where they need to build their skills will also earn more respect from their team members. The ability to receive negative feedback and use that as motivation to drive positive change can create an atmosphere where all team members feel less defensive and more inclined to learn from constructive criticism.
5. Passion and persistence
A leader that exhibits a genuine passion for the work and the mission of their team will be infectious. A leader who is strongly invested in their work will put their energy towards doing the best job possible and will encourage others to do the same.
Well-channeled passion can also contribute to persistence. With persistence, those in management positions understand that obstacles and problems sometimes arise, but that the key lies in learning how to navigate around them. Helping those in your business see the value in continuing to strive towards success and helping them believe that, together, you can all accomplish the tasks you set out to do will help keep everyone on task and moving forward.
How to build these positive leadership skills
Online leadership courses can help those in management positions cultivate the skills they need to thrive on their own schedule. They can attend courses and build knowledge that will help them advance without disrupting the work schedule.
Another option is the Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership from ACU, which offers a track in Positive Leadership. In this program, students will learn how to bring out the very best in their employees by focusing on their strengths and fostering an environment of gratitude, forgiveness, and compassion.
Leaders are those who not only have the drive and passion to excel but also help others to do the same. Learning and cultivating positive leadership traits can help professionals better guide their teams and achieve their goals. If you are interested in learning more about how to build these skills, consider the Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership – Positive Leadership Track program from ACU Online.