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Are you an effective leader? Do your employees like you? Do you notice that your team thrives whenever you take the lead? Are you inspirational? If this sounds like you, you may be a highly effective leader. If you are you will notice that people enjoy working with you, they go beyond the call of duty for you and your company, and find that your team functions like is a well-oiled engine. Your team is like a family, you have low staff turnover and loyalty is abundant. If you have these 7 traits, you are a highly effective leader.
#1: You lead by example
Leading by example is the best way to gain credibility and respect from your staff. You demonstrate the behaviour and the culture you want associated with your team. You are willing to set high standards for yourself and you expect your team to do the same. Your words match your actions, this builds trust and loyalty among your team.
#2: You have integrity
Your values supersede your emotions, and they guide you in your interactions with others. You have clear convictions of right and wrong, fairness and unfairness. You are respected by others as someone who is genuine, consistent, principled and ethical. You never go back on a promise, and you communicate openly and honestly with others. Your team follows you because they have confidence in you and respect. They are certain of your loyalty to them and your character.
#3: You have the ability to communicate effectively
You speak in clear and concise language. You respond to others with tact and listen attentively. You clarify misunderstandings, solicit input, and share valuable information. You give constructive feedback and address concerns immediately in person. This enables you to inspire and energize your staff.
#4: You have the ability to make hard decisions
You are decisive. You make decisions in an efficient way and you are confident that you can your team in the right direction. You don’t hesitate when making tough and impactful decisions. You make your decisions with conviction and take responsibility for it. You gain greater respect from your team and you are able to capitalize on opportunities because you are able to respond quickly and decisively.
#5: You have the ability to empower others
You teach your employees instead of giving them orders. You are able to show others what you want from them rather than simply telling them. You coach them. You help them to see the choices in front of them and find their own solutions. This enables you to cultivate a sense of personal responsibility in your staff.
#6: You welcome failure
Failure in inevitable and is an avoidance consequence of growth. Not every decision will lead to success, but you can’t grow without making mistakes. You have accepted this early on and acknowledge that it is a good thing. You take responsibility for the problem and quickly analyse what went wrong in an effort to correct it. Your co-workers will value your honesty and you and your team will have the power to take corrective measures in real-time.
#7: You understand your own motivations
You don’t things half-baked and without conviction. You understand what you want and don’t waste time on things that don’t motivate you. Your team sees this and know that you put them first and truly care about their growth and success. You know your strengths and weaknesses and you hire your team to complement you and make you more rounded, instead of hiring carbon copies of yourself. Your team is more like a melting pot of different people with different strengths and weakness, rather than a set of homogenous robots.
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About the Author
Taneallea Feddis
Founder/Managing Director, BlackWall Consultants
She is an educator, website designer and content marketer.​ She helps entrepreneurs develop their business through coaching and developing their digital strategy. She is passionate about teaching new skills to others, and her goal is to encourage and assist Caribbean businesses with their digital transformation and sharing in their success stories. Click here to learn more about Taneallea Feddis.