What are some characteristics of a good leader? Have you ever heard people say “leaders are born not made?” Though this may be true, but I believe that one can become a leader through experience, continued study and adaptation. According to a leadership study, it states that the quality of leadership is not measured by popularity, but by the results they are able to produce (Munari, Bezerra, Nogueira, Rocha, Sousa and Ribeiro, 2017). In addition to that, the attribute of leadership is not always measured by reputation, however their attitude in their dealings will determine the outcome.
In today’s contemporary world, having effective leaders give us hope for a better tomorrow which lead us in the right direction. Leaders are the most important people that make our world a better place. Moreover, to be an effective leader, one must possess certain characteristics to be able to lead effectively. Therefore, effective leaders act with integrity, are committed to their followers or organization and develop empathy with their followers. First of all, effective leaders act with integrity which produces honesty that will help them to gain trust from their followers. Leader integrity matters because it plays a significant role in the decision process used by followers when deciding who they will follow, who they will trust, to whom they will be loyal and committed, and ultimately for whom they will perform (Moorman and Grover, 2009).
Furthermore, leader integrity subjects as it plays a large function within the selection manner utilized by followers while figuring out who they will follow, who they will trust, to whom they will be unswerving and dedicated, and in the end for whom they will perform. Additionally, having integrity means a person is being honest, trustworthy, reliable, loyal and honorable. In my understanding, I believe integrity is a virtue, therefore it is one of the most important quality an effective leader should have. In addition to that, integrity is the mother or qualifications of being honest and having strong moral standards in leadership. Although, natural born leaders will find themselves with followers without trying.
Therefore, effective leaders should always apply integrity in all they do to be able to lead fairly, sincerely and successfully. Next, excellent leaders are committed to their followers or organization. They stick to what they say they will do and lead by example. You cannot be an effective leader without commitment because commitment is the leadership quality that inspires and attracts people (Carstens, 2015).
Likewise, you cannot be a powerful leader without commitment due to the fact that commitment is the leadership excellence that motivates and attracts people. Showing commitment to their organization or followers will help them gain trust from whom they are serving. Furthermore, when followers see their leaders committed to them and the work they do, it will convince them to think they are reliable and dedicated to them. The dictionary describes commitment as the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause or activity, in other words it’s an act of showing loyalty to those you are leading or serving.
Additionally, your commitment to the team will make people to follow you and believe in your vision. Without commitment, no one can be able to be an effective leader and the world would not have been able to produce committed leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. or Nelson Mandela. With that being said, it is very important for leaders to be committed to their team in order to fulfill the purpose they were called for. Last but not least, another crucial quality to have as an effective leader is empathy. Good leaders develop empathy for their followers which comes with the passion for what they do and believe in. As a leader, by means of empathy we have the possibility to better understand our subordinates, to intuit their thoughts and feelings, to anticipate their behavior and even to act on it accordingly (Badea and Pan?, 2010).
Similarly, as a leader, with the aid of empathy we have the possibility to better understand our subordinates, to appreciate their thoughts and emotions, to expect their conduct and even to put ourselves in their shoes. In addition, a good leader will respect others, even when things get tough. As an effective leader, it is crucial that you empathize with your followers by being a good listener and be able to use problems solving skills to bring solution to their problems. When you show empathy to them, it gives them hope that you are concerned about how they feel.
Which means if one wants to become an effective leader, he/she must apply emotional quality/ intelligence such as empathy and passion to be able relate to their followers emotionally and successfully. As a matter of fact, being able to relate to others emotionally is one of the qualities to becoming an effective leader. All in all, to become an effective leader, one must act with integrity, show commitment to their organization or followers, and understand one’s emotions from experience. Acting with integrity gives people reasons to have trust in you and believe that you work with a sincere and honest heart. Additionally, being committed to your organization or followers makes them feel that you are reliable and trustworthy.
Moreover, being able to relate to your followers convinces them to believe you feel their pain by means of empathy and they could rely on you to be able to provide solution to their problems. Furthermore, having these characteristics will help you become an effective leader that will not be forgotten in a hurry. Therefore, acting with integrity, being committed to the team and developing empathy for your followers as an effective leader will leave a positive impact on those who believed in you.
