The success of a business often relies on its leaders. Whether managing an office or running their own organisation, business leaders are responsible for motivating team members, embodying the company values and setting achievable goals. So, what makes a good business leader? In this article, we will explore the skills, attributes and qualities all good business leaders possess.
What Makes a Good Business Leader?
Effective leaders possess qualities that can boost team morale, motivate action, support and guide colleagues and enhance a working environment. The top eight qualities that all good business leaders have include:
1. Effective Communication
Great leaders must also have great communication skills; they should be able to communicate with a diverse range of people across a variety of mediums, including face-to-face, emails and video calls. Good business leaders should also know how to effectively discuss challenges in a way that directs team members to a solution, and be able to actively respond to their team’s needs.
2. Emotional Intelligence
All great leaders have a high level of emotional intelligence, allowing them to control their own emotions, and those of people around them. They are conscious of how their emotions may affect others, which can help foster healthy relationships with their wider team.
3. Accountable
Great leaders take responsibility for their actions, especially any mistakes. This sets a great example for their team to also take accountability and learn from any slipups.
4. Future Focused
Effective leaders are always looking one step ahead by creating actionable goals to enhance the future of the business. They are not change-adverse, but encourage small, continual improvements and welcome out-the-box thinking.
5. Confidence
If you ask anyone, “What makes a good business leader?” the most common answer will likely be “Confidence”. Great leaders understand the fine line between confidence and arrogance and do not cross this boundary; they lead with authority and make tough decisions fairly. In doing so, they can facilitate open and honest conversations with their colleagues to encourage quality work and a positive work environment.
6. Strong moral code
All great leaders follow a strong moral compass, adhering to the company rules and regulations and acting as a role model for those around them.
7. Optimistic
For a leader to be great, they must be a positive and energetic individual, even during challenging times. This sets a great precedent for other employees and motivates them to keep working towards their goals.
8. Self-aware
Leaders with high self-awareness can take a step back and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. In doing so, they can utilise their strengths and develop their weaknesses to become a better leader all around. A great leader will showcase the vulnerability of self-improvement to those around them, encouraging their team to also self-evaluate and improve.
Hopefully, we have answered the common question, “What makes a good business leader?”. What’s important to remember is that being an effective business leader does not depend on status or role, but on key skills, attributes and qualities. While some leadership traits come naturally, most can be learnt over time. The best way to develop your leadership skills is to invest in leadership coaching.
If you hope to develop some of the eight leadership qualities listed above, book a free consultation with NG Leadership Coaching today.
