13 Essential Traits of an Outstanding Leader

Think of some of the great leaders you know, both personally and for being well known by many. They may have very distinctive leadership traits, from friendly and democratic to authoritarian, and some may have ordinary leadership traits, such as outspokenness or organization, but great leaders can be introverts, creative, and dreamers too.

Don't frustrate yourself by thinking that leadership potential is something you either have or don't have, and get rid of your belief that it is something innate; These restrictive beliefs which exist only in your imagination prevent you from enjoying your full potential. As you delve deeper into the qualities of a great leader, you will find that even vastly different leadership styles share many traits.

Whether you are responsible for leading a Fortune 500 company, or working towards your personal goals, first determine what type of leader you are, as this is the foundation on which you will develop the essential traits of a good leader. For your success, leadership traits will help you overcome obstacles and take risks, find ways to live joyfully, and thrive even in the most difficult times.

What are leadership traits?

Leadership traits are characteristics that every great leader shares, and these traits do not depend on your title, salary, position, or even your personality; Rather, they are a set of values and beliefs that anyone can espouse.

Your skill set is what distinguishes your leadership style, but leadership traits are a common thing that exists among great leaders, so understanding this, and then working on developing your leadership traits is the best way to become the leader you need to be in reaching enormous success.

Mentioning the definition of leadership, according to the dictionary it means to be in a position of leading or controlling individuals or an organization and real leadership delves deeper into the nuances of what it means to be responsible. When you run a workplace, you also lead people, which means that developing employee skills should be at the top of your business expertise.

To be an outstanding leader and achieve your goals, you must be able to constantly interact with your employees, colleagues, and clients. Great leaders do not impose cooperation on employees but encourage them. As the late entrepreneur, Steve Jobs argued, "Leadership is all about inspiring people to achieve what they thought they couldn't do, while management was all about persuading people to do what they didn't like to do."

13 Essential traits of leadership:

People are not born leaders, but being so is a skill that can be honed over time, and when you can develop effective leadership traits, it will inspire your entire team. So, here are 13 essential leadership traits that anyone can hone to become a more productive leader.

1. Trust:

Real leaders are confident in themselves and know that they can think and act outside the box to take their companies to the next level. They know that leadership qualities such as openness, emotional resilience, and resourcefulness are often more important than the ability to sell or impress a group of investors.

But, how does one show enough confidence to be a good leader? More than half of human communication comes from nonverbal cues, so you need to know how to set your pace as a leader by demonstrating your confidence. Confident leaders attract and inspire others because all people want to be confident too. Practice effective nonverbal communication by standing upright and making eye contact with others. Others are more likely to follow your lead and believe in your authority when you appear confident, even if you don't feel confident inside.

2. Concentration:

You should focus on what you want. Those who embody effective leadership traits keep their eyes on the goal. They are very organized and plan ahead while still being flexible enough to deal with unexpected challenges. A good leader thinks of every strategy and understands how each action they take will affect any given scenario.

Distractions can be one of the biggest negative factors in your work, but those who display influential leadership traits don’t allow them to intrude on them. Focus is a core leadership trait because where focus goes, energy flows. You need to reduce distractions by creating an environment that helps you focus.

For instance, you could have an open door policy in your office at certain hours so that your team can communicate with you freely, but you have to let them know that you will not be available during other times, which we can call “Concentration times”. This will help you delve into everything about your business without having to deal with many complications.

3. Vision:

Think for a moment about some of the world's greatest leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mother Teresa. They each had very different leadership traits, but they all had one thing in common which was a vision, not just of their own lives, but of the whole world. They had unstoppable faith in themselves and their dreams.

This kind of vision can only come from having a very clear goal that others can see too. It is the goal that gives meaning to your life and makes you feel fulfilled, a goal powerful enough that it inspires others to join you. Having a clear goal not only allows you to achieve your goals, but also it allows you to enhance your leadership among your employees.

4. Flexibility:

Most leaders achieve their goals not just because they were born with leadership traits. Being a leader is not an instinctual thing. For it means you have to be willing to adopt a growth mindset, develop your skills, enhance your weakness, challenge yourself daily, be ready to do your best, and even accept to fail despite that. Then go back and get up again and fail again.

And this inner strength comes from comprehending that the course of life is happening for you and not against you. Everything you face may teach you something if you let it so. Learn to find the beneficial lesson in all life happenings and take it seriously to be able to return stronger than you were then you will inspire others to do the same.  

5. Sincerity:

The majority of people believe that business leaders and politicians have an insincere nature, but great leaders are those who treat others how they wish to be treated sincerely.

Sincerity is not the only leadership trait that allows you to do your business with integrity, rather it is one true way to have strong relationships with others, whether you are managing your business or your family. The truth is that everyone you interact with is observing your honesty and what the rules that define your morals are, so that they treat you accordingly.

Make sure everyone in your team or family knows what your organizational culture and basic expectations are, show them how much you value honesty through your daily interactions with others, set a valuable example, and find a way to provide honest feedback and feedback directly and mercifully. 

6. Positivity:

A sense of positivity that energizes everyone around you is one of the most important qualities that real great leaders possess, and that doesn't mean that real leaders never experience moments of frustration or disappointment. But, they can take a positive approach through which they can deal with difficult problems. Inspirational leaders know how to turn setbacks into successes, and showcase tasks that demonstrate their optimistic leadership traits daily.

So, choose to embrace the strong beliefs that move you forward, not the negative thought patterns that weigh you down. One of the most important qualities of a good leader is to view challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. When you practice positive thinking, it will become an effective cognitive habit that allows you to reassure and elevate those around you. 

7. Strictness:

Every person in any leadership position has to make difficult decisions at times, and the way you deal with these decisions is one of the most important leadership qualities, and it can mean your ability to be assertive and the difference between going through a difficult time or crisis and falling under pressure, so making these kinds of decisions won't always make you likable, but being sound judgment when making decisions will earn you the respect of others.

The quality of leadership that makes you show assertiveness in difficult times is better than waiting for something to happen, or letting others decide for you even if the decision you made was wrong and you need to correct it later. The great leader is the one who takes the right decision not the one who heads for the easy decision.

8. The ability to inspire:

Discovering your natural leadership qualities is an excellent way to inspire others to find their strengths too. One of the secrets to great success is honing your leadership vision and delivering it to others. Discovering your natural leadership qualities is an excellent way to inspire others to find their strengths too. One of the secrets to great success is honing your leadership vision and communicating it to others. Inspiration is what drives people to get through tough times and work towards their goals even in simple times. You identify yourself by your identity, or if you are an entrepreneur, by your brand. So, constantly refocus and sharpen your identity so that you can inspire your team members.

9. Effective communication:

Knowing your and your team’s communication patterns are one of the qualities of a good leader that will boost your business well. Leaders not only pass on information to their team but also know how to communicate their goals and vision to their team in a way that excites them.

So, don't underestimate the power of words. The best leaders know that words change feelings and lead to success, and as many important leadership qualities.

Being an effective speaker is more about what you don't do than what you do. Constructive communication is often limited to silence and listening, and listening deeply and asking thoughtful questions shows that you care about your employees' contributions.

10. Responsibility:

You will make mistakes as a leader, but blaming others, justifying your actions, or pretending that mistakes never happened will erode trust among your team members and discourage them from taking responsibility for their mistakes. Great leaders take more than the blame they deserve, and less than the credit they deserve. This creates an organizational culture built on trust and humility. When you are responsible for your actions, you will be able to hold your team accountable for their actions as well which ultimately fosters a sense of responsibility that makes them constantly strive to achieve their personal goals as well as those of your organization.

Strong leaders may have a clear sense of purpose and can take their teams in the right direction. In addition, while leading their group, they use their effective leadership traits to foster and pass on a supportive sense of team spirit to all participants. Being a strong leader does not only mean being the best for the team but encourages those around you to adopt effective leadership traits in themselves as well.

11. Sympathy:

Empathy is one of the qualities that a great leader possesses. It may seem surprising, but it is logical and clear. Empathy allows you when you want to communicate with someone to discern whether you have conveyed your message. When you are able to understand the other person's point of view, you will be able to anticipate the effect your words and actions have on them.

Without empathy, the opposite happens, and you risk alienating the people you're trying to build relationships with, whether they're clients, employees, colleagues, or competitors. The development of empathy is the foundation of all the other flexible skills required for leadership, from self-awareness to critical thinking. 

12. Humility:

Humility is a misunderstood leadership trait that is actually essential to lead any kind of team. According to the Huffington Post, humility is one of the most important leadership traits, but that doesn't mean a leader should be submissive. Humility shapes your personality so that you are able to accept your weaknesses without losing your self-confidence, and from this standpoint, you have self-esteem and accept the feedback that others give you, and this opens a door for you to new ideas and solutions.

Humility also makes you gentle and gives you the ability to build real relationships with others because it makes you friendly, and you can interact with your team, clients, and colleagues from a common human standpoint, which breaks down the barriers of communication between both of you.

13. Creativity:

Creativity is one of the most underappreciated leadership traits, yet it is in fact one of the best leadership qualities in successful businesses, especially in the fast-paced and ever-changing job market, because creativity and innovation go hand in hand, and both are necessary to ensure you stand out from the competition.

Every great leader has a different mix of skills and personality traits that allow them to thrive in their position. Some are extroverted, some are introverted, some are cooperative, and some are authoritarian, but all of them developed certain traits of a great leader. These traits allow them to take decisive action, inspire others, and communicate effective vision, and if they can do that, so can you. 

Traits of successful executive leaders:

You don't have to be a high-paying CEO to embody the qualities of a great leader, but if you aspire to fill this position, you will need to develop some traits that will help you compete at the highest levels:

1. Competitiveness: 

It becomes more and more difficult to climb the career ladder the closer you get to the top. You will be surrounded by others with the same talent and motivation. Do you have the competitive spark that allows you to stay active and focused on your goals?

2. Taking risks:

Everyone has different levels of risk tolerance, but CEOs tend to be more tolerant than others, which allows them to let go of any fear of failure and take smart, strategic risks that others may not be willing to take.

3. Financial knowledge:

CFOs and investment bankers don't just need financial knowledge; Rather, any senior executive needs to know how to read financial statements. You cannot lead a company without understanding its finances.

In conclusion:

These skills can be developed like any other skills, especially if you are able to find a mentor that has already achieved what you are striving to achieve. Business coaching can help you set your goals, track your progress, and hold you accountable, and the most important step you need to take today is to take action.