What is a good leader? Qualities of a good leader: everything that makes a boss irreplaceable

This time we’ll talk about what qualities a good leader should have.

The article is based on a comment from one of the readers (many thanks to him!), supplemented by my own reasoning.

I had the opportunity to work with different companies - large and small, and I have seen everything described below more than once in live examples.

Talented leaders and effective managers:

1. Provide clear leadership and set clear goals
   The captain must guide his ship along the intended course with a firm hand. If the leader does not know what to strive for, his subordinates cannot know either. I mean not only specific projects, but also the goals of the company or department as a whole. The manager must be clearly aware of them and be able to convey his thoughts to employees.
2. Take responsibility for their actions and hold others accountable
   In other words, they set an example for others. The standards that are used to evaluate the quality of work should be the same for everyone. A leader must share with his subordinates both the joy of victory and the bitterness of defeat.
3. Able to solve problems
   One of the common qualities of all talented leaders is the ability to solve problems constructively. They are not only able to quickly identify what is going wrong, but also offer unusual ways to cope with difficulties.
4. Refuse detailed control
   Talented leaders know how to delegate authority effectively. According to the commentator, these people are able to “dismiss themselves,” that is, not interfere in routine processes and do not strive to control every step. The ability to delegate authority is a matter of trust, by the way.
5. Make effective decisions
   The best leaders know how to make good decisions. They are not inclined to show uncertainty. They act quickly and without fear, and then take full responsibility for their actions (see point 2).
6. Value people above all else
   The best leaders recognize the need to meet the needs of both customers and employees. They are ready to listen and discuss any problem. They understand that happy people work much more efficiently.
7. Extend their influence not only to subordinates
   Of course, every company has its own hierarchy, but talented managers have ways of influencing those who are at the same level as them or are located at higher levels of the career ladder. In many cases, this involves being able to communicate, manage expectations, and ask for help when needed.
8. Appreciate others
   Each of us needs support and positive assessment. The best leaders understand the value of their contributions. This does not mean that they provide their employees with numerous bonuses or special privileges. They just never forget to show them their respect and recognition.
9. Always honest
   There is nothing worse than broken promises. A leader who always keeps his word deserves to be called one of the best. Trust is an integral component of the relationship between a boss and a subordinate.
10. Balanced and dedicated to their work
    All the great leaders I have met have a genuine passion for their work. They literally breathed it and strived to perform their duties at the highest level. And at the same time, they always found time for their personal life. They knew how important it was to devote enough time to family. And they inspired their employees by personal example.

Surely there are other personal qualities that are characteristic of good leaders. Above are the 10 most important ones. Perhaps you would like to add to my list. Have you had experience working with a leader who has one or more of these qualities? Please share this in the comments.

Bernard Marr, linkedin.com
Translation: Airapetova Olga

When we are assigned to our first leadership As a rule, we are beside ourselves with happiness for some time. Most likely, this was a long-awaited promotion, but even if it is unexpected, it can only increase the degree of euphoria from a sudden promotion. But, of course, as soon as this first joy fades away, many begin to get lost, timid, and gain self-doubt. It is new bosses who are very often constrained by the so-called “perfectionist paralysis”, when, for fear of making mistakes from the very beginning, a person cannot begin to fulfill his new duties and goes to work day after day, doing practically nothing, and only diligently imitating a stormy activity.

But sooner or later, this will be noticed more high authorities, and then the question of the advisability of a new appointment may well arise. To prevent this from happening, you need to act more boldly. Knowledge of the main holes and potholes located on this path will help with this. Knowing the rules makes it much easier to get involved in the game, isn't it?

1. The leader does not allow familiarity towards himself. Let's start with the truisms, because it is precisely their oblivion that leads to the most crushing defeats and failures in the world. If you suddenly decided that all this subordination is outdated philistinism, and during the period of your glorious “reign” everyone will address each other as “you” and put a farting pillow on the boss’s chair, for the sake of laughter, then this is a sure way to losing all respect from the team. Realize that most people need a chain of command so they don't forget what their role is in the company, or, more simply put, who the boss is. So a high-status chair, a heavy table, and maintaining distance are not just showing off, but tools necessary for leading any team.

2. The boss is not a patch for any gap. Many people have a desire to correct the mistake of a subordinate in order to show him “how it should be done,” strengthening their authority and demonstrating to everyone that the leader is the last line of defense of the company that cannot be broken. Sometimes such “actions” are really effective, but most often they turn the boss into a plug for any hole, and his subordinates into drooling infants who do not want to take responsibility for anything.

3. A good leader is always results-oriented. Encouraging effort or striving for results is a surefire way to never see that result. Let's understand that it doesn't matter to you how effectively an employee works, but only the results can be praised. Even if you want to praise someone who is clearly trying, you should then gently hint that effort itself is only a means to achieve the main goal, the result.

4. It is impossible to give a person a salary worthy of him. Trying to start your leadership by setting a good salary for everyone is simply a waste of the company's budget. People are not grateful in such matters; very soon the new salary will again seem too small to them, and they will again be dissatisfied. A good boss is stingy with raises. It doesn't sound very nice, but it is true.

5. The leader does not participate in infighting and does not encourage it. All office wars should be nipped in the bud by the boss if they are noticed by him. But most often it is impossible to fight affairs; they are an integral part of the production process. So, at the very least, you should at all costs avoid getting involved in one of them.

6. The boss always chooses the right path. His faith in him is unshakable. And those who wanted to show off by mockingly doubting him in public must be strictly put in their place with an iron hand. Objections and comments can be expressed to the boss personally by coming to him with constructive suggestions and a report. Bring this to the team at every opportunity. And the one who decided to show off in front of the secretaries, loudly doubting your choice, earned himself a demonstrative spanking, no less.

7. Admitting mistakes must be decisive, bold, immediate. Only the lowest insignificance and weakling does not know how to admit his mistake when it is already obvious. Do it quickly and boldly. Acknowledge it as if it was not you who allowed it, but someone else whom you are reprimanding. Everyone makes mistakes, so there's nothing particularly scary about it. In cases where your mistake is far from obvious, then you should avoid admitting it. In a couple of weeks it will become just a vague story, so there is no need for you to constantly be self-flagellation.

8. Personal affairs are diligently kept away from business affairs.. Because mixing them together is a cocktail that can knock any team off its feet. Affirm this in words, and confirm it in deeds. Personal and business should stand on opposite sides and never intersect. Even sex with a secretary (which is far from uncommon, after all), with a good boss is only part of effective relaxation therapy, but not a love affair.

9. A bad manager always has an employee who is out of place. And a good one asks himself every day: “Is every employee of mine engaged in the work that he does best?” You must constantly ensure that not a single cake maker in your team wears a shoe, which is far from uncommon for most companies today.

10. No one ever fulfills all their responsibilities. And there is no point in raising your eyes to heaven and crying out for justice. Every person quite naturally wants to get more by working less. So the regular salary system is very outdated. An effective method to keep employees on their toes today is a bonus system. Even though the salary itself will be small, the employees will have many bonuses: for the absence of errors in their work, for the absence of delays, for meeting deadlines, for something else. What bonuses can a “relaxed” employee easily be deprived of? This will save the company money and get the lazy guy into shape. Everyone has a chance to relax, but that doesn't mean you have to pay for it out of your own pocket. Or from the company's pocket, it doesn't matter.

In general, of course, this is only rough rules that help you be a good boss. The true art of leadership is learned over many years, honed and perfected. In which we wish you early success.

Hello! In this article we will talk about how to become a good leader who is loved, appreciated and respected by his subordinates. You will learn what qualities a person holding a leadership position should have. What are the differences between female managers and male directors? What mistakes should be avoided?

Why be a good leader

Supervisor is an effective manager. It is on his ability to establish the production process and find an approach to the team that the qualitative and quantitative indicators of the company, department, etc. depend.

The concept of a “good” or “bad” boss is highly subjective. After all, you cannot find an ideal person who everyone will like. Nevertheless, the leader should be respected, appreciated and a little feared by his subordinates.

Many directors or bosses who have just taken a leadership position behave “incorrectly” and this affects the atmosphere of the team, which entails a decrease in the efficiency of each employee.

To make it clear what we are talking about, Let's consider the following example.

3 days ago, a department of the company was headed by a new boss. He is quite young and came to this position from another company. As a specialist, he does not know much, but nevertheless does not want to study and learn something new. He's the Boss. Therefore, he behaves arrogantly, shifts part of his work to others and is incompetent in many matters. He considers himself an excellent leader, because he thinks that people fear and respect him.

In fact, the staff does not like him, does not value him, does not respect him and considers him an arrogant upstart. Looking at the boss, employees lose enthusiasm, and the performance of the department gradually falls. This is because everyone works on their own.

Team is a union of people who work to achieve one goal. It can be compared to a watch mechanism, where each gear is important in its own way. And the boss is the treasured key who starts the mechanism and knows how to get it working.

If you want to improve the quality of work of a department or company, earn the respect of colleagues and subordinates, and further move up the career ladder, then you definitely need to become a good leader. And now we’ll tell you how to do this.

Who can be a leader

In fact, good leaders are not born, they are made. At any age, a person can feel the strength of a leader. According to statistics, 4 out of 10 bosses become good leaders. This indicator is not affected by either gender or age. An excellent director can be either a young, purposeful university graduate or an elderly man with a wealth of experience.

Who is better man or woman

Nowadays, both men and women can become leaders. Women directors are tacticians, while men are strategists. It is more difficult for representatives of the fair sex to gain the authority of the team. You will have to prove your professionalism, especially if most of the employees are male.

Men are more stress-resistant. They are not so quick to go to extremes. Nevertheless, women are more attentive to their subordinates.

To clearly answer the question “Who is better?” It’s impossible, because it all depends on the person and his character. Therefore, women and men equally can and should fight for the title “Good Leader”.

Qualities of an ideal boss

In order to become a first-class leader, you need to realistically evaluate your positive and negative aspects of character. No one is perfect, but people in leadership positions must be able to suppress the negative aspects of their character and develop good traits.

So, let's look at what an ideal director should be like:

• Smart;
• Master the basics;
• Responsible;
• Punctual;
• Psychologically stable;
• Human;
• Compulsory;
• Punctual;
• Be able to cope with your fears;
• Don't be afraid to take risks;
• Active;
• Trainable;
• Not lazy;
• Peaceful;
• Friendly;
• Not stupid;
• Not melancholic, etc.

Mistakes Most Leaders Make

Not every boss can be elevated to the rank of a good leader. All because they make a number of mistakes that discredit them in the eyes of their subordinates.

Let's look at the most common mistakes:

1. Lack of desire to exert yourself. Some managers, as soon as they take their position, think that they have climbed to the top of the mountain and now they can relax and do nothing, thereby shifting part of their work to their subordinates. In fact, you need to clearly understand that the higher the position, the more you will have to work. Subordinates can help you in the first days, but you must do your work yourself.
2. Failure to value employees. Every employee who does their job well deserves minimal encouragement (at least verbal).
3. Inability to organize work. The manager must thoroughly know the entire production process. Very often, due to the fact that the boss does not understand all stages of production and does not know who is responsible for what, any troubles are attributed to the unprofessionalism of the team.
4. Lack of desire to improve or learn something new. Very often, managers who have held positions for many, many years believe that they know everything and do not strive to learn and learn something new. But life and technology do not stand still. And a modern person must improve, especially a leader.
5. Assignment of other people's merits. Let's look at this error with an example. A talented employee works in a scientific laboratory who has made some discovery. Instead of talking about the achievement of his employee, the head of the laboratory tells everyone that “THEY” did it. Such a boss believes that this discovery is his personal merit, because he is a great worker if, under his leadership, the employee has reached such heights.
6. Showing rudeness and disrespect for the team. Sometimes managers don’t think about the need to control their emotions and take it out on their subordinates for any reason. Of course, there are different moments, and you really want to let off steam. But you need to learn to restrain yourself, because ordinary workers, most often, have nothing to do with your bad mood.
7. Insecurity of your employees. If a director puts his own interests above others, then he never defends his team anywhere. He does not understand controversial situations and does not look for the culprit. It is easier for him to punish people (impose a fine, reprimand, etc.) than to figure out who is right and who is wrong.

This is not the entire list of mistakes made by managers. In any case, you need to remember that subordinates are people for whom you bear a certain responsibility, and their professional failures are the failures of a manager who was unable to establish the production process.

Basic rules of a good leader

One of the founders of management, Peter Drucker, claims that in order to become a good leader, you need to use the following 5 rules under any circumstances.

Rule 1. Learn to manage your time.

Rule 2. Focus on the end result rather than the production process. Intervene less in the work of your employees. Explain to them that everyone is performing a very important process and is responsible for it. Make every employee feel like they are a little boss.

Rule 3. Leverage and develop the strengths and positive qualities of yourself and your employees.

Rule 4. Always set the right priorities, bypassing unimportant tasks.

Rule 5. Make effective decisions.

Tips for those who want to become a first-class leader

Analyzing the activities of many successful managers, we have compiled recommendations that will help each boss earn authority in the team.

• Behave “the right way” from your first day as a manager.
• Get to know the team well. Immediately after taking office, familiarize yourself with all the personal files of your employees. Try to remember their names. This way, your subordinates will see that they are not just labor for you, but first and foremost people.
• Always be honest and keep your promises.
• Discuss the production process in your team more often, let your subordinates express themselves, ask them to take the initiative.
• Don't be arrogant, but be a little simpler. After all, the same people work in the team, only one rank lower than you.
• Don't scold employees in public. It’s better to reprimand a careless employee in your office.
• Praise and encourage staff at general meetings. You will provide incentive to others.
• Don't sit idle. A good leader always has a lot to do. Bad directors shift part of their work to subordinates, and then suffer from idleness.
• Don't be afraid to lose your position and let talented employees develop.
• Control your emotions.
• Rate yourself by your worst employee. After all, part of the blame for his failures lies with you. Perhaps you did not motivate him or assigned him a task that was too difficult.
• Do not spare money on material incentives for staff. If people do not have an incentive (for example, in the form of bonuses for the highest performance), then they will work half-heartedly and half-heartedly. Remember that average employees work for average salaries.
• Learn to resolve any domestic disputes. Do not stand by if a conflict arises in the team. Try to understand the current situation and help resolve it peacefully.
• Demand discipline. Use discipline sometimes. The main thing is that your complaints are relevant.
• Don't indulge your employees' whims. Behave kindly, but strictly. Otherwise you will be ignored.
• Show your competence and do not shift all problems to your subordinates.
• Congratulate the team on the holidays, take an interest in the health, family, and children of employees.
• Never go to extremes, and assess any situation soberly.
• Study psychology and attend psychological trainings. The healthy climate of your team depends on this.
• Determine the place of each employee in the team. For example, someone is a generator of ideas, while someone likes monotonous paperwork, and someone is an inspiration.
• Don't pick favorites. Try to treat all employees well.

Conclusion

A good leader is a kind of “lighter”. He is able to set his subordinates in the right mood, ignite the fire of enthusiasm and provoke them to do their work better and faster. The boss may not be able to do what his employees can do, but he is obliged to properly organize the work and give the correct instructions to his subordinates.

Almost anyone can become a good leader. The main thing is to want it, not be afraid of change and constantly improve.