What makes a good leader in 2024? Is it nature, or is it nurture?
This question has been a matter of ongoing debate for many years. Back in the mid-1800s it was commonly believed that leaders were born with inherent traits and personal characteristics associated with leadership, and that only those who are naturally endowed could be effective leaders.
Thankfully, we now know this to not be the case.
While it remains true that some people are gifted naturally with leadership qualities, it is indeed possible to observe and learn traits and behaviors and model them within your role, which leads to successful outcomes in your leadership career and within your workforce.
You’ve perhaps heard of the well-known statistic that originated with a 2015 Gallup study, which stated that only 10% of managers have natural talent—that is, the perfect combination of traits to make them successful.
So, if you’re aspiring to be a leader or manager, it’s highly likely that you fall out of that 10% range. Does this mean that you should abandon the idea of pursuing your career path in leadership altogether? Certainly not. Instead, concentrate on acquiring and practicing good leadership qualities, remembering that leadership traits can be learned.
Many of the personal characteristics and behaviors identified in Gallup’s research, which convey strong leadership ability, are still highly relevant today. Below, let’s explore some of the qualities of a good leader which they identified:
- Confidence
When referring to confidence, it’s essential to understand what type of confidence is here under discussion. This is not referring to arrogance, ego, or authoritarian leadership, in which you refuse to listen to others or take on their concerns because of your blind confidence.
Being confident as a leader means being comfortable in your skin, being authentic and true to a guiding set of principles and moral values, while inspiring others with confidence and trust in your leadership. For others to have confidence in you as a leader, especially if they’ve never worked with you before or if you have a relatively fresh track record, takes some time and patience on your part.
Another key aspect of confidence as a personal leadership trait is knowing how to inspire and motivate your team to do the right thing, because they will then be fully equipped and empowered by you with all the resources and knowledge, they need to be confident in their roles.
- Charisma
We traditionally associate the most effective leaders with mind-blowing, boundless energy and charisma. We envision leaders as always being visibly animated and enthusiastic, and constantly being the lifeline of the company. This unfortunately tends to exclude more introverted, quieter personalities.
While extroverted, radiant energy is highly motivating within the workplace from a leadership perspective, it’s useful to remember that there are many leaders—past and present—who performed their roles exceptionally well and were able to engage their followers and employees, while being introverts. Some examples of this include tech titans, non-profit leaders, and civil rights activists such as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Wendy Kopp, Elon Musk, and Rosa Parks.
This is why it’s essential to understand the other side of charisma: quiet charisma.
Quiet charisma is when you leverage your introverted nature and have (or develop) a strong ability to listen, reflect, empathize, and be observant. This subtle charm can work wonders within your role as a leader.
- Resilience
Resilience in the face of adversity is an essential leadership trait you need to be successful, and to sustain that success. This is because your role as a leader will often entail facing challenges and setbacks—in your personal life, in your career, and in the business.
How you bounce back from adversity, maintain team morale and your own personal motivation during difficult times, and motivate your team to remain focused on your collective goals and objectives, will determine your effectiveness as a leader.
Being resilient also means that you think ahead and plan strategically, taking into account previous failures and using these as a means of growth and continuous improvement.
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You don’t need to be an extroverted leader to be [+]
4. Courage
Successful leaders are courageous. They have clear goals and a solid vision and can clearly articulate this to those they work with—from stakeholders, to teams, to peers, to their own boss. They don’t shrink from a challenge, and are courageous enough to rattle comfort zones, challenge the status quo, and be authentic, doing things because they are the right thing to do, not because of the profits.
To build courage as a leader, accustom yourself to taking calculated risks, and if things don’t work out, get up, dust yourself off, and reflect on what you learned and what can be done better next time. Foster a culture of experiment-taking and innovation in your team, so that they will not be afraid of failure or censure for making mistakes.
5. Humility
Finally, one of the core personality traits of a good leader in 2024 is that of humility. This quality is perhaps the most essential of all the leadership attributes listed above, since without it, organizations will be pressed hard to enable growth and development.
Within the context of leadership and management, humility means maintaining self-awareness and holding yourself accountable to assume full responsibility for your actions and decisions. When you are humble as a leader, you are willing to roll up your sleeves and do whatever is necessary for your team, and your organization, to succeed.
Humility also means laying aside your ego as a leader or manager and accepting you simply do not have all the answers. It’s totally OK to admit that you’re not a guru; this is in fact admirable and shows transparency. Why not embrace the prospect of learning together? This may not come naturally to you (after all, who likes being told that they are wrong?) but it’s one of the beautiful aspects of becoming an exceptional leader. Remember, learning can sometimes come from the most unlikely sources.
Another way that humility demonstrates itself in your leadership personality is when you display heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for your co-workers and team members. Acknowledge the contributions of others, actively listen and show that you value their perspectives—even if it’s not what you want to hear—and give credit where it’s due.
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You’re not supposed to be a guru, so remember it’s [+]
So, what do you think? Can these five personality traits—confidence, charisma, resilience, courage, and humility—be learned over time? Does it take nature or nurture to be a leader? Or perhaps, it’s a combination of both.
Source : Forbes
