5 Distinguishing Qualities of Great Leaders

Decades of research and studies have been spent to find the best qualities that make great leaders. We look up to successful businesses while trying to determine what constitutes great leadership that makes employees stay, engaged and motivated. Interestingly, most studies show that Emotional Intelligence(EQ) has a very important role to play in providing great culture for any organization through good leadership.

Source: PixaBay

We have data backed by research. We have facts. And yet somehow businesses and most companies still have not taken advantage of this. We settle for a "boss" or a "manager" as long as results are visible, regardless of its effect to our most valuable asset: our employees. We need more leaders.

Slowly, people are starting to notice the direct effect of leadership to its employees. We now realize that "carrots and sticks" no longer works and that we need to adapt a better strategy in order to survive in this fast paced business environment.

Here are the 5 distinguishing characteristics and qualities of truly great leaders.

Source: People Matters

• They Form Personal Connections

When discussing corporate leadership, we often hear "People leave managers, not companies." Truly great and likeable leaders understand the importance of personal connection in keeping employees engaged. So they connect with their followers to a deeper level and go out of their way to make people feel more valuable. It is a skill that we all need to achieve regardless of our job and position.

• They Demonstrate Integrity

Leaders should inspire trust and admiration through their actions. They lead by example. They set the company to higher standards by setting policies in line with the companies' vision. And most importantly, they demonstrate integrity not just through words but they live it.

Enrique Fiallo said the following about the importance of integrity in leadership:

"TheIntegrityre are many things you can lack and still steer clear of danger. Integrity isn’t one of them. Establish a set of sound ethics policies, integrate them into all business processes, communicate them broadly to all employees, and make clear that you will not tolerate any deviation from any of them. Then live by them."

• They Have Substance

Daniel Quinn in his book Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit said,

“Charisma only wins people’s attention. Once you have their attention, you have to have something to tell them.”

Being a leader is not just a title and should not be taken lightly. Likeable leaders understand that their knowledge and know-how are vital to the success of the company and to the people who follows them. They know that there are several elements of substance that make for success over the long haul and they should be worked on diligently.

Souce: PixaBay

• Optimistic and Inspirational

Great leaders have a positive attitude that helps to inspire and motivate followers. It is their job to inspire people to take action, to be their best, and to keep them engaged. They expect bad days ahead, but true leaders find their way out of every hurdle with optimism.

An inspiring leader should be abundantly passionate -- that people can find inspiration to it. To keep their fire burning, great leaders continue to inspire themselves. In doing so, they also inspire others and keep everyone motivated.

• They are Decisive

Volatility and change has become a challenge for businesses, especially for startups. Every day leaders have decisions to make, small and big, in order to make their businesses prosper. Great leaders don't just make decisions for the sake of having one but they look at things in different perspectives. They see the bigger picture and always strive for a win.

They are not afraid to make a call - they gather the facts, analyze every angle, and determine the best course of action - and they need to do it quickly.

Source: PixaBay

These are just a few distinguishing characteristics and qualities of truly great leaders. There are no perfect leaders, that's why leaders are continually working on improving themselves. It is difficult to make a standard on these things, what works for some may not work for others, but we can be sure that the qualities listed above are all necessary and makes truly great leaders.

Does your leadership measure up?
What other qualities do you think every leader should possess?