SEVEN BRILLIANT QUALITIES YOU MAY NOT KNOW YOU HAVE
Build on these personal traits to become more effective
By Larry Kim http://time.com/3074012/7-brilliant-qualities-you-may-not-know-you-have/ Aug. 2, 2014
What does it take to be a great leader?
Once upon a time, birth order and
socioeconomic status were considered powerful determinants in who would
successfully climb the ladder.
Lately, though, the focus has
shifted to personal qualities.
Guiding vision, passion, and
integrity are well known leadership traits. But there are lesser known
leadership traits, as well–in fact, some historically have been perceived as
weaknesses.
These hidden traits can be developed
and nurtured to help further your career and your role as a leader, at work, in
your community, or in life in general.
See if you just might have some or
all of these personal qualities that lend well to leadership:
1. Empathy
Empathy is the
ability to understand and share the feelings of another. This is incredibly
important in any workplace environment and helps you to manage conflict and
relationships. However, it’s become even more important as businesses compete
to better understand the needs of their customers. People don’t want to be
analyzed and marketed to–they want brands to understand what they want and
need. Empathetic leaders function better within the company, but can also use
this trait to power the business, as well.
2. Optimism
You might think of optimism as the
quality of one being hopeful, but it also indicates confidence in successful
outcomes. Of course, blind optimism isn’t a good thing, but optimistic leaders
can inspire and motivate teams.
3. Forgiveness
No one enjoys the boss who lords
every mistake they’ve ever made over their head. There is real power in
allowing employees to take calculated risks, but they have to know it’s not
going to be held against them later. Doing so kills creativity and
motivation–it causes people to think twice before bringing a new idea to the
table, or experimenting with a new process or product. Learn how to forgive
mistakes to nurture creativity and inspiration and your team will pay you back
ten-fold.
4. Altruism
Altruism means you care about the
welfare of others. In business, this means you want the people around you to do
better, feel better, and perform better. You are not an island. You don’t need
to take all of the credit for yourself. You understand that building up the
people around you makes you all look better. This is an incredible leadership
quality, but not one you might traditionally associate with power or strength.
5. Eloquence
The ability to speak and write
persuasively has gained importance in the age of digital communications. People
expect leaders to communicate and they want to be “wowed.” An eloquent speech
can close a deal. An eloquent memo to staff can quell fears, dampen dissent, or
inspire people to reach new heights. Practice your writing and speaking to become
a more effective, persuasive leader.
6. Discernment
Discernment is the ability to judge
well, whether in relation to people, situations, or business decisions. If you
are discerning, you take the time to understand a problem and walk your way
around various solutions to find just the right one. You don’t jump head first
into every opportunity, but think critically and find the best option.
7. Modesty
No one likes to hear how awesome
someone else is all the time–especially when it comes from that person. Let
your work speak for itself; don’t fall into the trap of being the one who blows
your horn the loudest. Confidence is a great trait, but must be tempered with
modesty.
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