Five traits of a successful leader

What does a successful leader look like? Someone who is capable of motivating, leading and inspiring others? Are you thinking about whether you have what it takes to be a successful manager, or are you already in a management role and want to improve? If this is your case, then here are five key traits of a successful leader that you should work on.

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Personal integrity

According to the Center for Creative Leadership, the number one key trait of a successful manager is personal integrity. A leader should follow clearly defined values and not change their opinions, attitudes and values too often. They should be reliable and predictable, and people around them should know what they can expect from them.

Communication skills

A manager without excellent communication skills can never be a successful leader. People management is 90% interpersonal communication. Work on the impression you give to people when talking to them. Learn to be a good listener and to seem confident and positive when speaking with others. Be aware of your body language and learn how to reach your goals through communication.

Authenticity

Authenticity is hard to learn or describe. But it is something that plays a key role in the success, authority and charisma of any leader. Do not pretend to be someone you are not. Do not try to copy too obviously a management style of someone else, and do not repress your natural personality. Only then will you seem authentic and gain people's trust.

Emotional intelligence

Having high emotional intelligence means being perceptive towards emotions of others, being able to adjust your communication style temporarily, based on the emotions of people around you and, above all, knowing your own emotions. Pay attention to your feelings, get to know yourself, and find out why you behave in certain situations the way you do.

Authority

In order for a manager to be able to lead others effectively, they must possess a certain authority. Either they are born with it (which is quite rare), or they acquire it by learning: for instance, learning to show confidence, communicate effectively, or by becoming an undeniable and respected expert in their field.



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Article source Center for Creative Leadership - CCL® website
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