Additional
characteristics of a leader
In this
lesson we will point out other important characteristics of a leader
which strengthen his position.
Hardworking:
the leader should show great dedication to his work, he should practice
what he preaches, to work hard; he should allow the group to see him
working hard.
The leader
can not demand more dedication from his employees if he does not practice
what he preaches.
The leader
should be capable of carrying out a balanced life by combining his
professional life with his personal life, family life and social life.
The leader
should show his employees that having a strong professional dedication
with a rich private life is perfectly compatible.
The enthusiasm,
energy and excitement that a leader illustrates can only be achieved
with an intense, entertaining and varied life.
The leader
is a person that knows how to enjoy the pleasures of life.
Perseverant:
the goals that the leader fixes are difficult to reach and can only
be achieved with a great deal of effort.
The obstacles
will be numerous and sometimes the obstacles can weaken the leader.
Only perseverance (an authentic obsession for reaching the objectives)
will help the leader achieve his goals.
Flexible:
the circumstances are always changing, what is good today might not
be good tomorrow, the collaborators have their own criteria’s
and sometimes they can be better than the leader’s.
The leader
that entrenches himself in his position is called a failure.
An authentic
leader does not fear that if he changes his point of view or accepts
a colleague’s opinion he is showing signs of weakness. On the
contrary, he would project an image of an open, flexible, pragmatic
person that would contribute to increasing his prestige amongst his
colleagues.
Self-Control:
the leader is the reference of the group, he should be capable of
controlling his emotions, especially in delicate moments, he can not
show his dejection in front of a negative event (if he falls, the
organization will crumble).
The leader
has to be a strong person, capable of showing serenity and instilling
tranquillity in the difficult moments.
On the
whole, the leader determines the organization’s state of mind.
If the
leader appears optimistic, enthusiastic and energetic, his staff will
develop this state. If on the contrary, he appears pessimistic, unenthusiastic
and worried, the organization’s state of mind will also sink.
Prudent:
Although the leader is a person that assumes risks, he doesn’t
stop being prudent.
He is responsible
for the company; the welfare of many families depends on him, that’s
why he can not act in an irresponsible way.
The leader
knows the strengths and weaknesses of his organization, he respects
his adversaries, and he assures controlled risks after a rigorous
analysis.
The leader
has to fight against haughtiness, which is understood as an excess
of auto sufficiency which can lead him to loose his prudence.
Realist:
the leader always has his feet on the ground, he knows how to combine
his vision in the long term with his day to day vision. He knows the
difficulties that his objectives entail and the effort that he demands
from his employees. He should also know his own limitations
Fair person:
the leader should be (and seem) a fair person, not only when demanding
things, but also when examining things and he should want the organization
to see him like this.
The leader
can not allow comparative insults.
The leader
should recognize the skills and weakness of his collaborators from
an objective point of view. He should be equally demanding with everyone
and impartial with the rewards.
The employees
understand and accept that you demand things from them. However, they
will never tolerate injustice.
Human:
the leader is a close, friendly, understandable person. This quality
is basic to achieve, not only the respect of the team but also their
regard.
Accessible:
the leader has to be an accessible person for his team; he has to
be available for all employees that have something to say.
If you
want the organization to be with you, the organization needs to know
you, to see that you are one more of them.
If you
want them to appreciate you, you have to give them the opportunity
to get to know you.
A distant
leader doesn’t find it easy to motivate: in the best cases he
produces indifference and in the worst cases he creates rejection.
Humble:
humility implies acknowledgement, one’s own limitations, knowing
how to listen and ask for advice, recognizing the mistakes one commits
and the skill of others. Humility isn’t a synonym of weakness,
but of a realistic person, with his feet on the ground. Humility helps
gain the respect of the group.
A leader
that appears arrogant will turn the organization against him.
Generous:
generosity is fundamental in a leader. The employees have deposited
their confidence in him. They are interested in the future of the
company and they are worried about their personal situation.
The professional
relationship transpires when the worker does his job and gets his
salary, a professional career, learning, etc.
If the
leader demands too much, he should be equally generous in the retributions,
recognition and rewards.
Educated:
the leader should worry about his personal development, about reaching
a high cultural level.
The leader
will have to deal with numerous people, speak in public, attend meetings,
visits, etc and he needs to know how to behave in each circumstance
(he is representing the company).
Knowledge
is a fountain of ideas, many of which can be applied to the organization.
Eager:
the leader is a nonconformist who likes to investigate and learn from
people. This eagerness should make the leader permanently investigating
new alternatives, making sure he is ahead of the group.
In the
real world, a conformist will end up being immediately obsolete.
Sense of
humour: humour
is fundamental in life, being especially useful in difficult moments.
People
identify themselves with people that know how to see the funny side
of life. The leader that abuses his seriousness finds it hard to generate
enthusiasm amongst employees.
The leader
needs to be aware that there are moments for formalities and moments
for ease and that by using these moments he is not going to lose respect,
but, on the contrary, he will manage to reach out to his collaborators.
Optimistic:
optimism is contagious; it spreads to the rest of the organization.
The optimist is the person that is not afraid of difficulties, that
sees obstacles as being surmountable; this makes him act with a level
of audacity that allows him to reach some goals that a normal person
wouldn’t even dream about.
Besides,
an optimistic person quickly recovers from failures and usually always
looks ahead.
Good
physical shape: the leader tends to look after himself, he
has a healthy life, he does exercise, watches what he eats, etc. This
is the only way he can conquer his job.
