Leadership is a quality that many employers want and many applicants lack. It is not something that can be easily learned, studied, or memorized. Rather, it is an attitude and a way of looking at life. To learn to become a leader involves changing the way you think, not just the way you act. There are also some people that are born with certain traits, both physical and mental, that make them more natural leaders.
While some people do have a much easier go of it, however, anyone can become a good leader. The best time to start, as with anything, is while still young. Here are seven traits that leaders tend to have.
1. Communication
Leaders tend to communicate extremely well. Whether they are communicating on a one-on-one basis or with a large groups or crowds, they do it well. Part of this is being able to connect with people on an emotional level. Convincing someone to follow you is much easier if they feel some sort of emotional connection to you. Additionally a leader should learn to speak clearly and with confidence. They should know how to present their thought process in a logical way that makes sense to others. There are lots of ways to improve your communication skills that can be found online.
2. Caring
Many people do not think of this attribute when thinking of a great leader, but it is extremely important. People follow leaders willingly because they think they will improve their life in some way. If others can tell that you care, they are often willing to look past shortcomings and follow you. If you really do not care, it is extremely hard to fake for long periods of time, and people will eventually figure you out.
3. Knowledge
Nothing will erode a leader’s ability to lead more effectively than a lack of knowledge. If those in your group or organization can sense that they know more than you, they will quickly lose their trust in you. This can be one of the hardest traits to develop because there is an infinite amount of things to know. However, whether it is fair or not, people often expect their leaders to have all the answers. There are lots of great ways to build up your knowledge throughout your life. Because this will take time though, it is something that should always be happening.
4. Height
This one is simply not fair, but it is a fact. People that are taller tend to be given leadership responsibilities more often. They also tend to be paid higher and trusted more with important issues. While you will not be able to make major changes to your height, there are actually ways to grow taller. Even if none of those ways work you can improve your physique and still fare well. People also tend to look up to those that are well built and have a healthy body.
5. Confidence
For some people this will be the easiest thing to develop, and others would rather try to grow a foot taller. Confidence is a fickle thing that can, and often is, faked. The phrase is often said “fake it till you make it”, and that can easily apply to confidence. Many of the most confident and successful people have come out and talked about a lack of confidence in their childhood. If you struggle with confidence, there are definitely ways to boost that confidence. You will also find that as some of the other traits mentioned grow, your confidence will naturally grow with them.
6. Honesty
Few things will ruin a leader as fast as a lie. A great leader can fall by telling one simple lie, even if they thought they were doing it for the right reasons. It is always hard to gain someone’s trust after being caught in a lie, but it is especially hard for leaders. Make the decision now that you will always be honest with those you lead. This is one that can and should be done starting on day one.
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