What Does It Take to Become a Leader?

by: kaka

Many people think that you are simply born a leader however this could not be further from the truth. Each and every one of us has the skills to lead, however we seldom put ourselves forward or find ourselves in situations when we have to take this sort of responsibility.

Of course there are certain skills you need to be a leader and each of them are more suited to certain people than others. However to become a great leader it is about having that burning desire to want to improve and hone all the necessary skills. The following therefore is a list of the traits needed to be a good leader.

Communication

This is a vital component. A good leader needs to be able to communicate ideas effectively and to great understanding. You may be excellent at building strategic plans but without having the skills to communicate them effectively you will always fall short.

Decisiveness

A strong leader needs to be able to make decisions based on logical reasoning when under pressure. In times of need people will look to you and a split second of doubt or appearing visibly distressed can undo years of hard work building trust.

Listening Skills

Listening skills is important in most parts of life. As a leader you should have the ability to pay attention and understand people and this includes taking on board criticism.

Prioritisation

What task needs doing first? You need to be able to prioritise tasks based on what you think is most important. Without good prioritisation the task at hand can be doomed to failure before it even begins.

Self-Control

The ability to keep your emotions under control is vital. You will have to deal with many different people and situations, a lot of which will most likely put you out of your comfort zone. It is important therefore that you keep calm and collected at all times.

Self confidence

Being self-confident goes a long way. If you appear fully confident then it will rub off on your team making any task a lot easier to accomplish. A certain amount of self-confidence also helps you to assert yourself when the time comes.

Pro Active

As a leader it is your duty to keep your team on their toes. Taking a back seat or being lazy creates complacency therefore it is important you take a pro-active approach.

Good at Planning

Simply knowing what needs to be achieved is not enough. To be a good leader you need to be able to create a plan of action that will work to achieve the end goal. A poor plan will scupper the chances for success and so this skill is vital.

Have Respect for Others

You may be in a position of power as a leader but your team will not willing follow you if you have no respect for others. Respect goes a long way and the best way to earn it is by respecting others.

Build Trust

Trust is a fragile but the most important aspect. Without trust you will never be a god leader. By improving some of the factors listed above it should go a long way to helping build trust quickly.

The beauty of all the aspects listed is that you can easily be trained to improve. There are many courses that can help you improve your leadership skills including numerous aspects not mentioned here.

The great thing about taking the decision to improve is that what you learn can be applied to all walks of life. So remember, we all have it in us to be a leader it's just about bringing out those qualities...