The 21 qualities of the leader that you absolutely need to know

Being a leader in the desired field (work, school, society, sport, politics, various associations) is a difficult position to reach and maintain for long periods, but at the same time rewarding.

If you have just started to climb the leadership level scale, or you are already up, knowing and then trying to develop the fundamental qualities of an effective leader should be an integral part of your path to success.

In this article, you will discover one by one the essential qualities to be a great and effective leader to achieve OKRS.

For each of them I will show you an in-depth article, in which I expressed my personal interpretation.

It may seem strange to you, but as you discover the qualities of the effective leader, you will find that some qualities are natural or almost innate to you, while in others you are a little weak.

If you can do it, you will understand that there is nothing you cannot do. Now let’s discover all the essential qualities to become a leader.

The 21 essential qualities of the effective leader

Here then is the list of the most important qualities that you will need to possess or develop for built and maintain over time a leading position in every sector of life.

Character

Your true character can only be seen in the integrity of your actions, not in your words. It is not a gift, but it is a choice that can bring you lasting success.

Unfortunately as a leader or person, you will never be able to go beyond the limits of your character, which will be the maximum limit for the goals you can reach.

Charisma

The term charisma denotes that human ability to exert a strong influence and attraction on other people.

If you want to be the kind of person who attracts others you will have to love life, treat people well, give them hope and share yourself to equip people to achieve their goals.

Commitment

If you want to be an effective leader, you must be committed, because your true commitment shows others that you are convinced in what you do, creates inspiration and attracts people to you.

Commitment is not an emotion that is experienced and can only be tested by the action that follows from OKR. It is a quality that starts from the heart and opens the door to the realization of the set plans or objectives.

Communication

One cannot not communicate. Everyone communicates, but not everyone is able to connect, that is, to establish a bond with people and to make their message pass correctly.

To be an effective communicator learn to simplify your message, trying to adapt it to the person you are communicating with, transmitting also a gestural and behavioral credibility.

Competence

Unless you are obliged, I am not convinced that, in a certain field, you would follow a person without competence. The same would happen to you if you are incompetent in some field.

If you want to improve your skills you have to highlight yourself every day, improve yourself continuously and always try to achieve excellence, to achieve much more than what is required.

Courage

Courage begins with an inner battle. It is not the absence of fear, but being able to do what he is afraid to do, leaving a territory known for moving into new territory.

Your courage has the power to inspire people to follow you and to engage, because in the end everyone wants to expand their lives, but often they need a courageous inspiration that reassures them to do so.

Discernment

Discernment is an indispensable quality for a leader or any person who wants to maximize their effectiveness.

It is the act of knowing how to distinguish between two options, clearly understanding and evaluating, which is the right choice to make, or not to do. It helps you get to the root of the problems, improving the solution and evaluating the best options to maximize the result

Concentration

Knowing how to use concentration well allows you to achieve the highest effectiveness in all the things or activities you undertake.

To better focus your time and energy you will have to make choices and set priorities: you will have to focus more on your strengths to make the most of them; then, in part you have to focus on new things to learn and, only in a very small part, dedicate yourself to your weaknesses.

Generosity

An effective leader, the kind of leader that people love to follow, does not improve and collects things and skills only for himself, but he also does it to equip others and add value through OKR Software.

Always be grateful for what you have or receive and do not allow the desire for possession to dominate you. Rather put the others in front of you and, automatically, they will pass you behind to follow you.

Listen

Effective listening is a part of effective communication.

When you think about how to spend your listening time better, keep in mind that it has two purposes: connecting with people and learning. Then keep your ears open for those who follow you, for who your customer is, for those who are your competitors and for those who support or guide you.

Initiative

The initiative is a quality that distinguishes a leader from others, in the sense that a leader does not just do what he is told, but also finds new ways to do differently from what has always been done.

A leader with initiative knows what he wants, pushes himself to act, takes more risks than others and is also willing to make more mistakes.

Passion

If you want to be a leader and guide other people, you must learn to accept this truth: you will never be able to lead a group, a team or an organization in an area where you have no passion. It is a necessary condition.

Passion is the first step that moves you towards the realization of a goal, because it increases your will power, often making what previously seemed impossible possible.

Positive attitude

Having a positive attitude does not mean rejecting reality, but means finding the best even in the worst situations, managing to find a positive side even in negative situations.

Attitude is everything in life, as it tends to spread and act on others in an important way, reflecting itself in your character and your leadership.

Troubleshooting

The ability to solve problems, commonly called “problem solving”, cannot be missing among the qualities of an effective leader. If you act in the right way, you can work better to solve every problem that presents itself to you, but you will also be able to learn from it. It doesn’t matter in which field you are or want to be a leader, but you must recognize that the problems are there and must be addressed.

Problems often bring with them opportunities and opportunities always bring problems. The two things go hand in hand, being part of the oscillations of life.

Relations

The ability to work with other people (teamwork) and building  relationships are fundamental skills for an effective leader.

Every person, and even yourself, wants to have a person who knows how to relate well and with whom you can always find an agreement.

If you want to manage and cultivate good relationships as a leader you will need to understand people, love them and help them.

Responsibility

A good leader does not blame, but recognizes that what happens, be it good or bad, is under his responsibility, not that of others. If you are not responsible, you can never aspire to become a leader or maintain leadership for a long time.

The people who accept responsibility, make the work is finished, always aim at excellence and always want to do the extra mile.

Safety

An insecure leader is dangerous, for himself, for those who follow him and for the organization he leads, because a position of leadership amplifies personal defects.

Whatever negative baggage you have in your life, it becomes heavier and more difficult to bear when you try to lead others.

Conduct

If we look at the behavior of the great leaders, we realize that the first victory they had was the conquest of themselves, through self-awareness and self-mastery.

We are therefore talking about the ability of people who are willing to grasp their lives, taking control of the areas that will lead them to success or failure.

Easement

What does it mean to incorporate the quality of easement? A servant leader puts others at the top of his agenda and takes the initiative in serving others.

The best leaders want to serve others, not themselves. They are aware of the needs of other people, are willing to help them and do so without expecting anything in return.

Accommodation

Every leader, like every person, in life must face the danger of fulfillment in which he can run into once the status quo is reached.

If you want to grow yourself, your team or your organization, you must remain receptive. If you stop growing, the best will not join you anymore, because you can’t give them more than they are looking for.

Vision

A leader with no vision is someone who is not going anywhere. Vision must be part of a leader’s life.

The vision starts from an internal desire to achieve, but it must be helped by passion and motivation. It is also important that your vision also meets the needs and desires of others to be supported.

Conclusions

Whether you lead a small team or a large organization, or simply commit to achieving your goals, the qualities of the leader are absolutely essential to your success.

They help you overcome obstacles, take risks and find ways to live to thrive even in the most difficult or challenging moments.