World Executives Digest | 3 Traits of an Effective Business Leader | Not all leaders are created the same, and it’s important to know your strengths and shortcomings if you want to take your business to the next level. Developing your skills allows you to inspire your team, overcome challenges, and steer your business through rocky times.
Leadership isn’t just about knowing how numbers work and having an eye for changing market trends, although those two can certainly help. But you can always hire a team to do those things for you. If you want to be a good business leader, you need to strengthen your soft skills in order to lead your team and company to greater heights.
Whether you’re a small startup entrepreneur or the CEO of SMRT, you need to possess the right mix of qualities to succeed in the global market. Here are a few traits that people look for in a business leader.
#1 Discipline
Leaders aren’t just people who formulate strategy and make orders. They also seen as paragons and role models by everyone within the organization. They might have a larger-than-life personality, but when it comes to business decisions, they need to balance risk and judgment. Since people look to them for advice and guidance, a good business leader should practice restraint and self-management.
Self-management signals to the world that you know how to keep your emotions in check and you’re aware of your faults and actions. Running a company puts a lot of stress on us, but we shouldn’t let our emotions affect our decisions or the way we deal with other people. Your team members will take after you so you need to showcase your best traits.
#2 Effective communication
Communication is an essential skill to have in any corporate or organizational setting, but a leader’s specific traits can mean the difference between success and failure. Effective communication goes beyond talking or sending emails to team members and waiting for their replies. SMRT’s CEO, Neo Kian Hong, embodies this trait as he leads the biggest public transportation company in Singapore through on-the-ground communication and experiencing the culture of his company first hand.
A good leader understands that effective communication goes both ways, and they need to actively listen and consider what the other person is saying. This ensures that all stakeholders feel like they’re being heard and any decision you make is a result of careful deliberation. The result is an organization that values all input and involves everyone in business processes.
#3 Delegation
Leaders are responsible for the management and direction of the organizations, but they can’t be expected to do everything on their own. In fact, a sign of a good leader is knowing when to hand over the reins to someone more qualified. Effective delegation means that not only are you passing a job to another person, but you also know what they are capable of and trust them enough to properly execute their duties.
It’s not enough to delegate tasks to team members. You must show your confidence in them to foster camaraderie and improve morale within the team. Help them understand that giving them a task is a show of support and trust.
These are just some traits that every good leader must possess. Effective leadership is an essential aspect of business. The right set of soft skills and traits can transform an organization for the better, while the absence of effective leadership can only lead to failure.
