The people you lead will not want to follow you if your character is lacking. They can sense when something is off. They will resist, rebel, and cause issues.
But…
That’s because your character is lacking. Your people don’t see a leader worth following.
But…
What if you could change that? What if you could begin to work on your character and the qualities you need to? You can.
In this article, we will look at 5 character qualities you need if you want to lead well.
Photo by Christopher Campbell on Unsplash
5 Character Qualities Leaders Must Have
Integrity:
People will struggle to follow a leader who lacks integrity. What does this look like?
Leaders who lack integrity will do anything, even unethical, to get the job done. They’ll lie, cheat, maybe even steal.
As their team members watch them do things that go against core values, they will begin to slip away. They may quiet quit or leave the organization altogether.
Great leaders have rock-solid integrity. They do what they say they’re going to do.
Do you have integrity?
Positivity:
Organizations will face challenges. Challenges may include financial issues, personal issues, or communication problems.
People struggle to maintain positivity in situations where it seems there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
Imagine being a leader who radiates positivity. You’re able to see the bright side. You don’t sugarcoat things but you know where to look to see where you can go.
Positive leaders have a positive impact on those they lead. When your people see there are good things on the horizon, they, too, can become positive.
Do you need to be more positive?
Vision:
A leader without vision is like the blind leading the blind. If you don’t know where you want to lead the organization, your organization will go wherever it desires. That’s not a good thing!
Create a vision for your organization. Let it be a roadmap to the future you envision.
The clearer your vision, the easier it is for people to follow. The more you promote, remind, and speak the vision, the more likely you are to obtain it.
Do you need to create a vision for your organization today?
Courage:
Let’s be honest; we’ve all seen “leaders” who lack courage. They say they’re willing to take risks, change things, and shake up the organization.
In the end, they are not courageous. They don’t take any truly organizational-changing actions; they repeat the same actions over and over.
Not you. You’re courageous. You know you have to take risks and shake some trees to get things to change.
Be courageous.
What do you need to be more courageous in?
Empathy:
Your team members need to know you care about them. That’s where empathy comes into play.
Empathetic leaders understand how and why people are feeling the way they do. They’re willing to walk with their people to help them understand it as well. Then they show it.
Empathy is a character quality that will change your organization. Work on your empathy skills.
How could you be more empathetic?
