Today as I considered attributes of leadership, I wondered if I'm a good leader in the spheres where I offer leadership. We all can continually improve our leadership abilities over time. As I think about this, I am thinking about these leadership attributes that I value and want to develop.
Honesty
I believe that good leaders are honest leaders. Leaders who lie create harmful webs of deception.
Attend to the details of the job
Good leaders don't ignore the details of the job-they create a consistent, responsible routine that ensures the important details related to finances, review, communication, paperwork, required efforts, and learning are done.
Teamwork
Great leaders foster and engage in great teamwork. Great leaders recognize their leadership responsibilities while also acknowledging that they need to be a valuable member of multiple teams. Great leaders know that teamwork requires good listening, working together, respectful debate, compromise, and shared growth and development.
Prioritizing
Great leaders prioritize. They know they can't do it all so they make the time to prioritize with the team.
Trust
Because great leaders know they can't do it all, they trust those they work with to do their part. Great leaders don't have to attend to every detail because they trust that those they work with will do their part.
Respect
The best leaders speak and act with respect--they don't demean or dismiss those they work with.
Know thyself
Wonderful leaders know themselves. They have a good idea about their strengths and weaknesses.
Goal setting
Great leaders set goals and work towards them.
Help
No one can do it alone, and great leaders seek the help they need to do the work they value and choose.
No matter how great or small your sphere of leadership is, it's important to know how important good leadership is when it comes to building strong teams and organizations. We need great leaders to reach the potential that exists out there. Onward.