Leaders exist in all aspects of life, society, and also part of our contemporary life. Leaders are present in the workplace, seen in bosses, supervisors and managers.

All leaders have a distinct set of qualities that make them who and what they are. The urge to be an effective leader demands you to become a good manager. When describing the ideal characteristics of a good leader, there are essential skills that a good manager should portray.

If you read articles about leadership, you would find different definitions about it and you would usually see factors like integrity, effective communication and influence as some of the good leadership qualities.

For me, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way”. Leadership is not about valuing yourself it is more of how you value your people. Don’t even think that because of your title everyone would follow and respect you. Leadership was something that needed to work hard.

I’d like to share some ways you can work on to be an effective leader:

• View your people as your biggest success. Always remember that your people are your biggest asset. You should focus on developing your people and help them succeed. As leaders, we need to be able to recognize people who are not performing at their greatest level and provide support and feedback to them. It is not good that we are the one who always concerns our people to big bosses because they are not performing well or they do some mistakes. Remember that your people are a reflection of you as the leader.
• Learn to communicate with your people. A good communicator can be a good leader. Simply because, if you are unable to communicate your message effectively to your team, you can never be a good leader. Words have the power to motivate people and make them do the unthinkable. If you use them effectively, you can also achieve better results.
• Know your people. Sure, you may know their names and their positions and what they are working on, but do you really know them? It would be better if we dig a little deeper to know them personally like knowing if they have children, where do they came from, what are their hopes and dreams. Getting to know your people in a more personal way will make them feel valued and increase their respect for you as a leader.
• Inspire your people. Probably the most difficult job of a leader is to persuade others to follow. It can only be possible if you inspire your followers by setting a good example. Always remember that your people look up to you and observe how you react to the different situation, how you follow rules, and how you stay calm under pressure. As a leader, you should think positive and this positive approach should be visible through your actions.
• Empower your people. You cannot do everything, right. It is important for a leader to focus on key responsibilities while leaving the rest to others. Empower your people to make certain decisions. Allow them opportunities to shine rather than discounting their abilities and doing it yourself. Delegate tasks to your subordinates and see how they perform. Provide them with all the resources and support they need to achieve the objective and give them a chance to bear the responsibility.

Leadership is both a gift and a privilege. A good leader must know that everyone on the team deserves to be valued because each one of them performs an essential part. When you can put your people’s needs and interests before your own, you will be a more successful leader.

A GOOD LEADER INSPIRE PEOPLE TO BECOME WHO THEY WERE DESIGNED TO BE.