Leadership is a set of skills that a person acquires and that directly influence their way of being and interacting with others. But how can you be a good leader?
We could say that leaders are made, not born. Therefore, you can cultivate your emotional skills to attain that status, especially if you are in a managerial position in a company and want to create a positive image among your employees.
Before I share the keys of how to be a good leader, let’s delve into the topic. What does it really mean to be a leader?
What is a leader
Differences between a good leader and a good boss
Is being a good leader the same as being a good boss? Although the terms ‘leader’ and ‘boss’ are often used interchangeably, they actually have many nuances that set them apart.
A good leader…
- Inspires their team and promotes collaboration.
- Focuses on people and their needs.
- Empowers their employees and maximizes their skills.
- Serves as a role model for their team.
- While a good boss…
- Simply gives orders and supervises.
- Places more emphasis on tasks and results.
- Prioritizes goal achievement.
- Doesn’t necessarily serve as a role model.
While a good boss…
- Restricts themselves to giving orders and overseeing.
- Places greater emphasis on tasks and results.
- Focuses on goal achievement.
- Doesn’t necessarily serve as a role model.
Team leaders
Then, there are team leaders who are responsible for coordinating groups of people working together. Their primary role is to ensure that the team is efficient and effective, which is why a good team leader needs to have strong communication skills, be solution-oriented, make firm decisions, and know how to motivate and guide their team members.
Natural leaders
Do you remember “The Lion King”? A clear example of being a natural leader. What sets them apart from other leaders? While leadership can be developed over time through education, experience, or practice, natural leaders have an inherent predisposition to manage teams. They often stand out for their charisma and interpersonal skills in making quick decisions.
Characteristics of a good leader
Now, if you’re already a natural leader, what we’re about to discuss will likely sound familiar to you. And if not, these tips will help you become an exemplary leader.
Communication: be a clear communicator
Clear communication is one of the skills that answer the question of how to be a good leader. If you have the ability to make people “follow you,” you must know how to communicate “where to,” as otherwise, there will be a lack of understanding.
In the business world, it’s essential to stand out as a good communicator, especially if you hold a position that requires certain skills. Being a clear and effective communicator is one of those skills. It will create a positive image among your employees and contribute to a good work atmosphere.
It’s also beneficial to understand the aspects that your employees value most, as this will bring you closer to them, don’t you think?
Being a clear and effective communicator will help you stand out as a good communicator and leader
Lead by example
From a young age, we’re taught to distinguish between right and wrong, as well as to understand that you shouldn’t do to others what you wouldn’t like done to you, right? Well, in that vein, one of the keys to being a good leader is leading by example.
If you hold a position that involves managing employees, it’s crucial that, for what you say to be credible and resonate with your employees, you lead by example! A very simple example: if you want them to be environmentally conscious by saving energy in the office and you ask them to remember to turn off the lights, but then you leave them on, what do you think they will think?
Don’t abandon your emotions
Sometimes, when we assume a position with people under our supervision, we may work on projecting a more distant or cold image because we want to maintain a clear boundary between being professional and being social. It’s true that it’s good to maintain a certain distinction between “work” and “fun,” but if you go too far, you may forget about certain emotions that make a boss a good leader. Emotions are necessary in our daily lives; they humanize us and make it easier to engage in productive conversations.
Be passionate about what you do
Do you enjoy your job? Show it to your employees! If you’re passionate about what you do, you’ll make your employees equally or even more passionate, don’t you think?
Exuding passion for what we do is one of the qualities of a good leader because it influences those around you to adopt a similar attitude. Prepare some motivational speeches, and when you find yourself “at a loss for words,” you can resort to techniques for handling such situations or use phrases that every good boss should say. The important thing is to naturally demonstrate love for what you do at all times.
Demonstrate passion for what you do, and your employees will become more engaged with you
Be a good person
In general, you’ll go much further in whatever field you work in by being a good person. Someday, you might need someone’s help, and if you haven’t behaved properly, their response may be, “figure it out yourself.” So, if you want to know how to be a good leader, you’ll need to empathize and strive to create the best possible environment.
You may be interested
Examples of good leaders
Now that we have the first steps, we should focus on motivating ourselves. What kind of leader do you want to be? If no one comes to mind, perhaps this article can serve as inspiration: Top Great Leaders of the World and Their Inspiring Journey.
Recommended books and content for becoming a good leader
If you still need more information on how to be a good leader, we have selected the top 10 leadership and personal growth books that will accompany you on this journey.
And if you’ve made it this far, you’ve taken a big step on your path to becoming an exemplary leader. This shows that you value the importance of leadership and are willing to make an effort step by step to achieve it. 🙌🏼
We hope our article has been helpful to you!