Important Leader Things
I will soon have the opportunity to lead my own team. I want to write down some thoughts on what I believe are a few characteristics and traits that I should maintain and nurture.
1. Consistency & Collaboration
Over the last few years I’ve worked in many different organizations and teams, meeting and working with people from dozens of different countries. I’ve also learned to recognize that even if every person and every situation is different, the way how one “stands” and presents himself is very important.
Leadership is partially about being consistent and following-up on things.
Moreover, many brains together are more powerful than one, by itself. In order to come up with clever, future-proof, performant, simple solutions to problems, a plethora of opinions and views should often be taken into account, and that is something that one person can not do by themselves, usually.
Leadership is partially about inviting others to collaborate with you and among each other. It is about inspiring others to leave their egos aside, and pick up empathy, non-violent communication and radical candor.
These two characteristics combined means that someone will be able to encourage collaboration, by leading by example, which is necessary to build a team, of course.
2. Empathy & Positivity
Understanding other people, being able to put yourself in their shoes and being kind are very important characteristics in order to be likeable. But the most important thing that you can build on top of these, is empathy. Empathy is the key that unlocks collaboration, the key that can bring out the best in people.
Leadership is partially about being kind, and being able to understand other people’s feelings. It is also about being able to express your own feelings in a straightforward and kind manner.
Being supportive, having a vision, and keeping a goal in sight are all necessary traits in a team environment, because any group of people can and will work together as long as they share a common goal, they are having fun while chasing it and they believe that it is attainable.
Leadership is partially about having fun along the way.
These two characteristics, combined also with the previous two, means that someone will be able to bring people together, communicate a vision, and maintain high spirits at all times.
3. Resilience & Integrity
I want to be able to weather any storm, continue working hard to achieve my team’s goals, and push back when it is deemed necessary. I believe that standing by a decision you believe in, and the whole team believes in, shows unity and strength, which are most usually well-respected traits.
Leadership is partially about never giving up, working hard under tough conditions, and being able to say “no”.
Also, living by and abiding to a set of values, ethics if you like, is like shining a beacon on a dark and desolate landscape. I appreciate myself more when I act according to what I consider just and right. I appreciate others too, when their values match mine - it is rare but perhaps that also makes it even more fun.
Leadership is partially about having correct ethics, inside and outside of work, and living by a set of values.
Combining these two with the four previous traits, means that someone will be able to confidently assume the lead of a group of people, form a team, establish communication channels and principles, keep everyone’s spirits high and work towards a goal under any circumstances.
All of the above combined, would make a good start for any person, but more so for someone who is leading others.