Effective leaders multiply the DNA of vision. If you have the wrong person in leadership, the vision is corrupted and the result is birth defects. Here are ten characteristics of an effective leader to help you assess yourself and others:
YoListen twice as much as you talk.
myencourage people to take risks
INevaluate the facts before making a decision
D.demand responsibility for oneself and others
myexpect people to do the best they can.
R.Respect those who are “below” and “above” you…
Ssolve problems with action
hI take your word.
YoInclude others in the process.
Praise in public, criticize and correct in private.
Each letter of the word leadership sheds light on the qualities that define a leader:
- YoListen twice as much as you talk. A leader recognizes that it is just as important to listen as it is to speak. A good leader affirms, empathizes, and then guides a person to discover their own solution, but that only happens after truly listening to both what is being said and what is not being said. Listening shows you care, and as John Maxwell says, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”
- myencourage people to take risks. When you respond to mistakes as learning opportunities rather than finding fault and blame, you encourage people to find better solutions. Fear does not motivate, it inhibits. If people are afraid of making a mistake for fear of retaliation, they will not strive to take advantage of every opportunity. Differentiate between a careless mistake and a mistake made in an effort to be resourceful in solving a problem. The former deserves appropriate consequences, the latter appropriate encouragement.
- INEvaluate the facts before making a decision. It is important for a leader to be decisive, but it is equally important to first gather all the known facts. In performance areas, always; Get both sides of the story before taking action. Never, ever take someone’s word for it and never “investigate” a situation solely through a third party. Third-party testimonials should support or refute what you learned directly from the people involved. When making decisions about the process, obtain information directly from those responsible for the work and do not settle for the opinions of others. Evaluate ALL the known facts and then make the best decision based on that data.
- D.Demand responsibility from yourself and from others. Leadership is not easy, if it was, everyone would be doing it. Leaders must hold a higher standard for themselves than for others. Accept full responsibility for all actions and decisions made, regardless of personal consequences, and demand the same of your staff. Leaders pay a heavy emotional, relational, and spiritual price. Only those willing to pay the price are qualified for leadership. Before accepting a leadership position, the difficult question must be asked: “Am I willing to sacrifice to lead?”
- myExpect the best from your staff. When your first response is “if they knew better, they would do better,” your first reaction is “have I fully equipped them to do their job?” or “Have I clearly articulated my expectations?” When we first look within, it often stops our external anger. When people know that you expect them to do their best, they are more likely to do it. When they expect you to punish them or blame them for their mistakes, they most likely do nothing, good or bad. That doesn’t mean you tolerate ineptitude, but when you have a high opinion of your staff, you inspire them to excel beyond their limits so you won’t be disappointed. That creates a win-win situation.
- Rrespect those “below” and “above” you. There are many who say that you have to earn respect and to a certain extent that is correct. However, each person should receive some level of respect because they are God’s creation whom He loves. Also, there are cases when, despite the fact that a person has a low character, he deserves respect due to the position he occupies.
- SSolve the problems and you will increase your value in the eyes of those you follow and those who follow you. Some people focus on the problem. Some focus on finding solutions. A leader focuses on turning solutions into action because only then is a problem solved. Leaders face challenges head on, they enlist the help of the right people who collectively develop the best solution, but the next step reveals true leadership as they turn the solution into a game plan and then oversee its execution. There are times when a leader must act alone, and there are times when they must incorporate the views, opinions, and wisdom of others. A wise leader knows the difference.
- hI take your word. There is nothing that instills loyalty more than knowing that a person is a person of honor, and that starts with honoring your word even to your own harm. What we say should not change simply because the audience changes. If we make a commitment to something (even if circumstances change to make that commitment challenging or inconvenient), we must follow through. If we said it, we must do it right. When we are a person who honors our word, our word becomes a standard that others can trust, and that trust is priceless.
- YoInclude others in the process. While it’s true that “ducks flock together but eagles soar,” that’s not a good position to be in when making changes that impact the lives of others. No one sees everything from all angles; we need the experience, expertise, and gift of others to make our decisions more effective. Include others in the process, collect their input, allow them to offer their solutions; By involving others, you help them take ownership of the result. However, when you have to make a decision, do so with confidence; knowing that it is the best decision that can be made at that moment.
- PRaise in public, criticize in private. Although this is the latter, its importance cannot be underestimated. A leader knows that “more flies are caught with honey than with vinegar.” When you praise publicly, you elevate the employee in the eyes of his coworkers, and that is often a great motivator. However, when you publicly humiliate people, you instill fear, resentment, and offense, all of which are tools for strife, confusion, and rebellion. Ask yourself, do you want your boss to publicly praise or criticize you?
What do you do if you realize you don’t have effective leaders? Consider this: Great leaders recognize that competition is essential. If removing an underperforming employee is more of a challenge than letting a position sit open until the right person is found, then you have failed to lead. When proper disciplinary procedures are implemented and followed, you must recognize that more harm than good is done when an incompetent person remains in a position. There is no place for an incompetent leader. If you’ve promoted someone because he has the right heart but doesn’t possess the required skills, admit you were wrong, remove the person and pull double duty until you find the best person. Pastors, educators, and those who serve others often fail in this regard because they want to give the person every opportunity to succeed. The question must always be asked: “Am I failing my vision, am I doing a disservice to those to whom I am accountable by letting this go on too long?” It is better to help a person find where they are right than to keep getting them into a position where they are not. An ineffective leader must be removed quickly, but redemptively.
While there are other leadership traits that separate good leaders from great leaders; this list gives you a good foundation. If lives depend on what you or your leadership team do, then you can’t afford to let them down. Make the tough but right decisions.