There are a number of reasons for this, but the stereotype of a manager from years gone by presents a strict and authoritative figure demanding respect - and this is something younger workers are finding harder to accept - even if they have been a part of the workforce for a long time themselves.
This makes it important to identify good leadership qualities in a prospective manager - or yourself - and cultivate them, ensuring anyone in this role can work with their team and find the best way through a situation to achieve company goals.
What Does Good Leadership Look Like?
So, what does good leadership look like? Everyone will have a different idea of what they feel is good leadership - both to provide and receive it. One of the easiest ways to identify good leadership qualities is seeing someone treat staff as individuals, accommodating their needs and working with them on a level that shows they understand how to get the best out of them.
This approach is what makes good leadership. Treating employees as people, and not numbers on a spreadsheet, will encourage loyalty and commitment to the team and business, helping with staff retention and productivity.
Identifying Good Leadership Qualities In Others
Some people are natural leaders. They have grown and developed in a way that has brought good leadership qualities to the surface. The best thing about this, however, is that because they’re great leaders already, they will look for leadership qualities in others, helping them be better and strengthening the team at the same time.
For others, these leadership qualities are buried deeper, and need a little nurturing. A good sign is seeing how people empathise with others, how they listen and engage, as well as the attitude they take when completing tasks and working with colleagues. These can act as signs that there are good leadership qualities within them.
What Are Good Examples Of Leadership?
Interacting with staff is different every time. Each person has their own thoughts, values, and goals, and even on any given day they may need to be approached differently. A good leader understands this, and is constantly trying to be the best they can, while supporting and encouraging their employees to do the same.
There are a lot of good examples of leadership, and most are dependent on the situation they’re used in, by whom and with who. However, there are several core elements of good leadership that everyone will benefit from.
Acting With Integrity
Perhaps the most important of the good leadership qualities we’ve identified is acting with integrity. This allows employees to trust and rely on their leader whenever they need. This can be seeking solutions, resolving conflicts, finding answers, or just having support when they need it.
On the other hand, it is a sign of good leadership to make sure staff don’t think of them as a crutch. Helping them learn or find what they need with help, but on their own, will have a much bigger impact. A leader should support and enable, not take over.
Prioritising Relationships
A sign of a good leader is someone who puts people first, forging relationships that are meaningful. They understand what their staff want to achieve, what makes them happy, the challenges they face, and help them overcome those obstacles - both in work and out of it.
Good leadership involves understanding that while some people find jobs they love and want to be at every day, others do it because they have to. There’s no sense in hiding from that. Embracing it, and showing interest in them and what they want to achieve will help everyone communicate and perform better.
Owning Mistakes
Mistakes happen, and they’re often how we learn the most important or valuable lessons. The most successful people not only accept mistakes, but look at what they can learn from them - using that information to improve and do better.
They might encounter an obstacle, but they won’t let it stop them from succeeding.
In the same way that leaders are able to learn lessons from their mistakes, they create an environment in their team where failure isn’t to be feared, and where everyone can collaborate in learning together and helping rally each other’s spirits.
Acknowledging Success
Good leadership is knowing who to praise and when. It doesn’t mean the one who got the highest sales or fastest time in every case - it can be someone who dealt with a tough situation, or celebrating when there’s been a big change that staff have adapted to.
Every member of staff wants to feel appreciated and valued, and acknowledging success - in whatever form it takes - does that. The balance is knowing that success is different for everyone at different times. There are team and business goals, yes, but there are personal targets, too.
At the same time, good leaders will be aware of how they can help others achieve success in their own way, rather than celebrate the same people at the expense of others.
Motivating Others
A good leader knows how to motivate others, and this is a complex subject. Some people will be bound by morality, duty, or obligation. Others will be focused on personal targets, growth, or achievements. There will be times when both apply.
Someone with good leadership qualities will be able to understand these motivations and use them to get better performance. Respecting everyone individually, and what they want to achieve, will make them feel like a person rather than a cog in a machine.
When bonds are formed, people will want to work and help each other, and it starts by understanding them, appreciating them for who they are.
Moving Forward
Great leaders don’t stop, and they don’t settle. It’s this push to be better that sets them apart from others who have accepted the status quo. That’s looking for new tools, processes, and knowledge that will give them the edge over the competition. When considering good examples of leadership, this is one of the most important.
What they push for in themselves, they inspire in their teams. One person moving forward isn’t enough, it takes a collective effort to achieve the best results and keep up with changing trends, landscapes and tools. Good leadership means taking that step with employees, learning together, achieving together, and celebrating together.
Bringing Good Leadership To Your Teams
For anyone in, or looking to step up to, a manager role, understanding how to work together with other employees is a must. There’s a lot to learn, and plenty of extra responsibility, but also a lot of reward and self discovery that comes with it. Good leadership will not only help managers be better, but they’ll do better by their teams, which helps the business.
While anyone can learn more about leadership, it helps to work with others seeking the same skills and knowledge - all while taught by someone who knows what makes good leadership. This is what our leadership courses at The Hub Events provide, and we have a range of in-person and online training courses to help. If you’d like to know more about what we offer, get in touch with a member of the team.