Seven traits of a born leader

A leadership position requires certain traits, habits and procedures on the part of the person in charge. Some people are born with these traits, but most people need consciously to work on them if management positions are their aspiration. This article will describe seven essential characteristics of a successful manager.

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This list was published by Entrepreneur.com.

Ability to focus

A good leader's attention cannot jump from one thing to another. A good manager must be able to plan their time well and always focus fully on only one thing at a time.

Confidence

Without the necessary confidence, a leader cannot convey their visions and motivation to employees. Fortunately, confidence does not need to be only innate but can be learned through gradually formed habits.

Honesty

Employees can detect falseness at first sight and they will never trust a manager who pretends something. Honesty in word and deed is the basic prerequisite of a successful leader.

Consistency

Although some changes in opinion and attitude are desirable depending on circumstances, a leader should be consistent in their requirements, communication, values and attitude towards employees. Staff should know what is demanded of them and what to expect from the manager.

Communication skills

Even the best vision cannot be conveyed to team members if the leader is unable to communicate well and effectively. It is therefore necessary that leaders focus on this skill and use it in their everyday work.

Expertise

Beside soft skills, a leader must also possess the necessary hard skills, i.e. knowledge of the given field and details about the job of the team members. Only then can the leader effectively lead others.

Patience

Last but not least, a good manager must be very patient, especially because team members will always do their job in a slower and different way than the leader would ideally wish. Moreover, working with people requires a lot of time and long-term effort. This is why patience is a must when it comes to leadership.

 

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Article source Entrepreneur.com - website of a leading U.S. magazine for entrepreneurs
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