The 5 Essential Leadership Qualities

Good leaders move us from what we know and feel comfortable with to an unknown place.  

This means change and change is almost always unsettling.

As a leader entrusted with the responsibility of helping others through change, it is important for you to always learn from your experiences. In this way you're better able to show others how to get from where they are to where they need to be.

Here are the five essential qualities it takes:

1. VISION - the ability to identify a "point on the horizon" and to plot out a general direction that moves others toward the vision.  No leader sees every step of the journey, but once you have the vision clear in your mind's eye, it helps you see potential obstacles and solutions to overcome them.

2. CONVICTION - Passion or whatever emotional word you use to describe it is the driving belief in the value of something.  It causes you to focus relentlessly on the vision and eliminate distractions.  This belief must be internal, unwavering, undaunted, authentic and visible in demonstrated enthusiasm.  If it's not, those who follow will hesitate, misstep or stray away.

3. EMPATHY - Empathy is a skill most need to strengthen.  Leaders help navigate to a vision through change.  Change is accompanied by resistance and fear.  The best leaders identify with the emotions of those they lead so they can lead with compassion.

4. COURAGE - is mandatory to pursue a vision.  To encourage others to trust you and also be courageous beside you, takes skills in listening, communicating, motivating, team building, conflict resolution and many other soft skills (as well as empathy and conviction).

5. AUTHENTICITY - This quality should appear in the list both first and last.  Being self aware is the internalisation of empathy and vision.  Understanding why you behave as you do will unlock the secret to being authentic.  This is the foundation upon which others will build their trust.  In the end trust is the only real commodity you have to trade with.

Just having these five qualities is not enough.  However, if these five are lacking you will not be an effective leader.

Consider taking inventory today and pick one of these five that you believe you can do better with and set a goal to strengthen it.  Once you feel it's strong, consider the other qualities one at a time until you have transformed your leadership power.