Daily writing prompt
What makes a good leader?
It’s easy to be a bad leader, but it’s more challenging to be a good one. You don’t need formal training to be a good leader, just some practical experience and the critical understanding that you should treat others how you want to be treated. And if you want to be the best leader you can, you’ll always be learning about self improvement. Here are some tips on what makes a good leader to get you started.
Here’s what a good leader does well:
1 Leads by example
A good leader is very hands on. How else can you thoroughly understand the challenges that your team is facing, or how long it takes to complete a task if you haven’t worked on it yourself? Also, if the leader wants their team to work hard, the leader must work hard. The leader leads by example.
Even if the task is something you cannot do on your own, by working side by side with your team, you will see who gets the job done most efficiently, who leads others, and who is always eager to learn. Now you know the strengths and weaknesses of your team by working with them.
2 Asks questions and does not make demands
A good leader has an open mind. Instead of telling the team to finish the work by Friday, ask if they can complete it by Friday. This question gives them the opportunity to raise concerns and bring awareness to possible roadblocks.
If a mistake is made, a good leader doesn’t make assumptions or immediately blame someone. A good leader points out the mistake and explains what needs to be fixed. They’ll ask what happened to find out what could have caused the error. The first suspect may not be the cause. Then, the leader works with the team to figure out a way to prevent the mistake from happening again.
3 Adjusts their leadership style
A good leader understands that one leadership style does not fit all. Some people need more support than others, especially if they are new to the job. This is not the same as micromanaging. The leader may need to show a new employee once how to do a task, and expect that person to be more independent the second time.
Some team members are more social and prefer more team interaction. And some are less social and like to be left alone to complete their tasks. The team leader must find a way for the team to work together while respecting everyone’s working preferences.
4 Checks in with the team individually
A good leader regularly checks in with each team member individually. The leader provides feedback on the team member’s performance and asks how they support the team member in their professional growth. What courses would this person like to take?
They also see each person as an individual. By taking the time to talk with each person one-on-one, they will have a better idea about how to support that team member. That person may need time off to take their kids to appointments so they will need a more flexible schedule, for example.
5 Is never the smartest person in the room
It can be tough on the ego if you aren’t the smartest person in the room. However, a leader should never be the smartest person in the room.
A leader can depend on a strong team with various areas of expertise to collaborate to get a job done. A leader can still be effective if they are always learning from their team or finding opportunities to learn together. A person who is always learning is always growing.
A person who knows that there is something they don’t know will always be humble and open-minded.
These are all the traits of a good leader.
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