The secret to any successful business is effective leadership. Great leaders can change the overall dynamics of a business – they can create, inspire and engage employees, and ensure that the workforce remains productive.
According to the President of TalentSmart, “leadership is the process of social influence which maximizes the efforts of others towards the achievement of a greater good.” In other words, the social impact of great leaders can transform businesses and create a sustainable and cooperative team.
While most great leaders are born with specific personality traits, there are certain skills that anyone can adopt and practice to become an effective leader. With the right leadership training course from Impact Factory, long term commitment and motivation, individuals can harness these leadership qualities, and effectively lead their business towards growth and prosperity. Below, we have outlined the three C’s that make an effective leader:
Creativity
Creativity exists in all of us, but creative leaders can impact the entire business in a positive way. For example, such leaders are intuitive, curious and imaginative, and create an empowering environment for employees. By fostering such an environment, they encourage everyone to think outside the box and lead by example.
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According to a survey of one million leaders worldwide, effective managers are those who get results through a culture of creativity. The survey further identified the following qualities of creative leaders:
Achieving – ability to strategize and get results
Systems Awareness – the ability to think systematically for higher performance
Authentic – ability to act with integrity and courage
Self-Awareness – the willingness to look inwards for constant wisdom
Relating – ability to relate well with others and work cooperatively
Communication
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Communication is a core leadership skill and good leadership is impossible without effective communication. In a Quantum Leadership Group survey of 195 leaders globally, communication was listed as one of the top ten qualities. Hence, leaders need to be skilled in the art of communication to affect change and innovation. In fact, for a business to run efficiently, leaders need to be able to communicate at the organizational and communal level. They need to be open and honest with their ideas and practice active listening and empathy while communicating.
According to the Harvard Business Review, effective leaders employ the following tactics when communicating:
1.Listen actively
2.Think before speaking
3.Always prepare for meetings
4.Engage in discussion
Courage
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Courage is the defining characteristic of great leaders – this trait allows them to make bold moves to transform their business without being afraid of taking risks. According to Steve Tobak, being a courageous leader means having the ability to:
1.Deliver bad news
2.Face critics
3.Take risks
4.Follow their instincts
Ultimately, courage means building influence through trust and persevering even in the case of extreme adversity.
Bottom Line
Effective leadership has long term financial benefits for organizations, employees and stakeholders. The three traits identified here – creativity, communication, and courage – are key to effective leadership. With the right level of commitment, training, and dedication, all businesses can provide their employees with the right skills to become good leaders.
