Characteristics of a Good Leader What characteristics make a good leader? Does a good leader also have to be a good person? The answer to these questions really depends on one’s perspective. While there have arguably been many good leaders in history, not all of them have also been known to be good people. Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin are examples of these types of “good leaders, not good people.” Being a good leader does not necessarily mean being a good person but rather having the confidence, focus, commitment, and communication skills to guide people in achieving a goal.
First, a good leader must exude confidence is their own knowledge and capabilities. “Not only are the best leaders confident, but their confidence is contagious. Employees …show more content…
During a scene in John G. Avildsen’s Lean on Me, Maria defends Joe Clark’s actions stating, “Yeah that 's right! He chained those doors to keep out the drug dealers. To make us all feel safe. You talk about the law but you 're twisting the law. The laws are made to protect the people and that 's what he 's doing for us.” In this scene, the student is expressing her support and understanding for the fact that the principal’s focus was on the safety of his students first and foremost. He was not concerned about the potential backlash from those who opposed him but rather about keeping his students safe. “The best leaders are ruthless in their pursuit of focus. Those leaders who lack the focus and attention to detail needed to apply leverage and resources in an aggressive and committed fashion will perish. Leaders who are not intentional and are not focused, will fail themselves and their team” (Myatt 13). In order to stay focused, a good leader needs to understand the details and have plans and contingency plans in place. They need to be prepared to deal with any challenges they or their team will face. If a leader is not focused and prepared, they will be unable to deal with unforeseen events and ultimately they will not …show more content…
“Leaders not fully committed to investing in those they lead will fail. The best leaders support their team, build into their team, mentor and coach their team, and they truly care for their team. A leader not fully invested in their team won’t have a team – at least not an effective one” (Myatt 16). People will follow a leader if they feel the leader is committed and supportive to the cause or action. If they do not feel the commitment from the leader, they will wonder why they should care and likely will not put in their best effort. “Firstly, you need to stick to your commitments and promises. If you don’t you will come across as an untrustworthy leader and people won’t have any confidence in you. Secondly, you need to be the most committed and hard working person on the job. You need to lead by example. All great leaders do this” (Jones 11). If you want your team to work hard and do their best, then you need to do the same. A good leader will not expect their team to work harder than them. Commitment, not a “Do as I say, not as I do” attitude, is what makes a successful
First, a good leader must exude confidence is their own knowledge and capabilities. “Not only are the best leaders confident, but their confidence is contagious. Employees …show more content…
During a scene in John G. Avildsen’s Lean on Me, Maria defends Joe Clark’s actions stating, “Yeah that 's right! He chained those doors to keep out the drug dealers. To make us all feel safe. You talk about the law but you 're twisting the law. The laws are made to protect the people and that 's what he 's doing for us.” In this scene, the student is expressing her support and understanding for the fact that the principal’s focus was on the safety of his students first and foremost. He was not concerned about the potential backlash from those who opposed him but rather about keeping his students safe. “The best leaders are ruthless in their pursuit of focus. Those leaders who lack the focus and attention to detail needed to apply leverage and resources in an aggressive and committed fashion will perish. Leaders who are not intentional and are not focused, will fail themselves and their team” (Myatt 13). In order to stay focused, a good leader needs to understand the details and have plans and contingency plans in place. They need to be prepared to deal with any challenges they or their team will face. If a leader is not focused and prepared, they will be unable to deal with unforeseen events and ultimately they will not …show more content…
“Leaders not fully committed to investing in those they lead will fail. The best leaders support their team, build into their team, mentor and coach their team, and they truly care for their team. A leader not fully invested in their team won’t have a team – at least not an effective one” (Myatt 16). People will follow a leader if they feel the leader is committed and supportive to the cause or action. If they do not feel the commitment from the leader, they will wonder why they should care and likely will not put in their best effort. “Firstly, you need to stick to your commitments and promises. If you don’t you will come across as an untrustworthy leader and people won’t have any confidence in you. Secondly, you need to be the most committed and hard working person on the job. You need to lead by example. All great leaders do this” (Jones 11). If you want your team to work hard and do their best, then you need to do the same. A good leader will not expect their team to work harder than them. Commitment, not a “Do as I say, not as I do” attitude, is what makes a successful