{"id":115201,"date":"2023-10-19T11:28:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-19T15:28:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=115201"},"modified":"2023-10-23T14:50:07","modified_gmt":"2023-10-23T18:50:07","slug":"important-characteristics-of-a-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/important-characteristics-of-a-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"The 5 Most Important Characteristics of a Leader"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What are the important characteristics of a leader? How do your leadership skills determine your success?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most successful people are those who lead others. For instance, the CEO of a company is surely considered more successful than an entry-level employee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to take your business to the next level, embrace these important characteristics of a leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-become-a-leader\"><strong>Become a Leader<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s no one correct way to lead other people\u2014the best way to lead is to embrace whatever leadership means to you. For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/be-a-leader\/\">being a leader<\/a> could mean that you\u2019re an executive officer at a large corporation; it might also mean that you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/be-an-inspiration\/\">inspire others<\/a> with art or speeches, or that you\u2019re a spiritual leader in your community.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: One way to figure out what kind of leadership suits you is to ask yourself what you\u2019re naturally good at\u2014in other words, how are you best able to influence and inspire other people? In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/limitless\/1-page-summary\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Limitless<\/em><\/a>, life coach Jim Kwik says that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/limitless\/1-page-summary#different-types-of-genius\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">everybody is a genius at something<\/a>, and realizing your full potential is largely a matter of identifying where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/your-genius\/\">your genius<\/a> lies. So, a corporate executive might be what Kwik calls a <em>tempo genius<\/em>\u2014someone who\u2019s good at long-term planning. On the other hand, an artist might be a <em>blaze genius<\/em>, whose <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/spread-ideas\/\">ideas spread<\/a> through their audience like wildfire. You\u2019re most likely to be an effective leader if you find or create a leadership role that lets you use your personal type of genius.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Thou Shall Prosper<\/em> by Daniel Lapin says that, while there\u2019s no singular definition of leadership, these are the most important characteristics of a leader:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-characteristic-1-an-inspirational-vision\">Characteristic 1: An Inspirational Vision&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Lapin notes that to motivate others to follow them,<strong> leaders must have a clear vision or goal that they\u2019re working toward, and they must be able to keep others focused on that goal<\/strong>. For example, the story of Exodus says that Moses led the Jews through the desert for 40 years based on the strength of his vision of the Promised Land: a new homeland for the Jewish people, promised to them by God, where they would live happily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: An inspirational goal or vision can be motivating, but getting people to follow you often means creating a sense of urgency as well. In other words, don\u2019t just tell people <em>what<\/em> you\u2019re going to do, also tell them <em>why <\/em>you\u2019re doing it, and why it needs to happen <em>right now<\/em>. For example, in the business fable <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/our-iceberg-is-melting\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Our Iceberg Is Melting<\/em><\/a>, the leaders of a colony of penguins spur their followers to action by explaining that global warming is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/our-iceberg-is-melting\/step-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">about to destroy their home<\/a>; therefore, the entire colony needs to immediately work together to find and move to a new location.)&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-characteristic-2-the-will-to-engage-in-necessary-conflicts\">Characteristic 2: The Will to Engage in Necessary Conflicts&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It\u2019s not enough to have a goal; you must also have the will and the ability to fight for that goal<\/strong>. According to Lapin, this often means confronting people who don\u2019t approve of your ideas in order to win them over, but it can also mean confronting your employees or your colleagues when their work isn\u2019t meeting your expectations.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: The will to fight for your goals and beliefs arguably isn\u2019t just a good trait for a leader\u2014it\u2019s a good trait for anyone. As Mark Manson says in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-f-ck\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck<\/em><\/a>, one way that you control your life is by deciding what you\u2019re willing to struggle for, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/book\/the-subtle-art-of-not-giving-a-f-ck#trying-to-avoid-pain\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how much hardship you\u2019re willing to endure<\/a>. Further, as Lapin notes, this struggle may involve confrontation with others\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/taylorcounselinggroup.com\/blog\/how-to-overcome-fear-of-confrontation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">something many people fear<\/a>. To become more comfortable with confronting others and fighting for what you believe in, consider noting down all of the good things that might happen if you speak up. You\u2019ll likely find that these benefits outweigh the possible negative outcomes of confrontation that you\u2019re afraid of.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-characteristic-3-the-ability-to-follow\">Characteristic 3: The Ability to Follow&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Counterintuitively, successful leaders must be followers as well. Lapin explains that even the person at the top of a hierarchy has something to follow\u2014for example, a religious leader must follow the teachings of their religion, while the CEO of a company must follow that company\u2019s mission statement.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Lapin discusses following principles and ideas, but sometimes great leaders may also need to follow other <em>people<\/em>. This is because nobody can be the best at everything\u2014not even the strongest of leaders. Leaders who allow themselves to follow others are admitting their own shortcomings and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/forbescoachescouncil\/2020\/01\/28\/why-every-leader-should-lead-at-following\/?sh=4ef009dd2665#:~:text=Many%20leaders%20could%20accomplish%20more%20if%20they%20became%20aware%20of%20their%20need%20for%20personal%20growth%20and%20development%20for%20themselves%20and%20others.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">working to improve them<\/a>. \u201cFollowing\u201d in this case might look like a leader stepping back and allowing experts to take charge of a difficult situation, or it could mean that a leader studies and learns from people whose skills they want to emulate.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-characteristic-4-faith\">Characteristic 4: Faith&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Lapin notes that this means having both faith in God and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/just-believe-in-yourself\/\">faith in yourself<\/a>. First, Judaism teaches that trusting in God is crucial for success in any endeavor\u2014in Judaic stories, people who follow God\u2019s will invariably succeed and earn great rewards, while those who oppose God are ruined or wiped out. Second, when you have faith in yourself, you\u2019ll naturally project a confident air. That confidence will cause others to also have faith in you\u2014therefore, they\u2019ll follow where you lead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Some research indicates that faith in God and faith in yourself are closely linked. Several studies have found that prayer and religious faith are associated with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.huffpost.com\/entry\/religion-and-science-how-faith-can-boost-self-esteem\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">increased self-esteem<\/a>. The researchers concluded that belief in a loving, supportive God who protects you and guides your actions leads to this boost in self-confidence.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-characteristic-5-the-ability-to-leverage-the-power-of-facts\">Characteristic 5: The Ability to Leverage the Power of Facts&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Faith and self-confidence are necessary for leaders, but they aren\u2019t a substitute for knowledge. According to Lapin, to make good decisions, you must have the relevant facts about the current situation. For example, if you\u2019re the head of a new tech startup, you should have a thorough understanding of the hardware or software your company makes, entrepreneurship and effective business practices, and the current state of the technology industry (so you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/why-is-it-important-to-know-your-competitors\/\">know your competition<\/a>). That background knowledge will help you to make effective business decisions and ensure that your startup becomes profitable.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: If you\u2019re researching the facts of your current situation online, ensure that you\u2019re using an accurate source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/app\/article\/why-wed-rather-stick-with-bad-information-shortform-explainers-shortform#the-dangers-of-bad-information\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A lot of information found online is unreliable<\/a> and could lead you astray. As you search, ask, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/libguides.rbc.edu\/c.php?g=484846&amp;p=3320444\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How do I know I can trust this source?<\/a>\u201d For example, is the source considered to be <a href=\"https:\/\/library.uco.edu\/misinformation\/mediabias\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reliable and relatively unbiased?<\/a> Is the website updated regularly to keep up with new information? Where did the information come from; an expert on the topic, or just someone who has a blog or a YouTube channel? Do other sources confirm the information or refute it?)&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are the important characteristics of a leader? How do your leadership skills determine your success? The most successful people are those who lead others. For instance, the CEO of a company is surely considered more successful than an entry-level employee. If you want to take your business to the next level, embrace these important characteristics of a leader.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":47734,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[45,29,14],"tags":[1293],"class_list":["post-115201","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business","category-career","category-management","tag-thou-shall-prosper","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The 5 Most Important Characteristics of a Leader - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"There&#039;s no one right way of leading people, but most leaders share common traits. 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