A Guide for New Leaders

Whatever the scenario, leadership is all about charting out the path you need to take as a team or as an organization to achieve the desired objective. It's basically impossible for a company to grow and flourish without effective leadership. In today's dynamic times with ever-changing technology and changing ways of business and customer engagement, leadership becomes even more important. An organization without effective leadership in such times will be like a ship that sets sail without a captain.

What makes a great leader?

An effective leader is someone who creates an inspiring vision for the future, they set the direction. They then use some management skills to guide the people toward that direction in a smooth and efficient way.

1. Decisive. In today’s complex business environment indecisiveness can prove costly for the business. Leaders are required to think on their feet and take strategic decisions quickly. Good leadership is all about informed decision-making. Also what's important is for leaders to stick through the decisions, commit to it and see things through.
2. Good examples. If you want to be a good leader and establish a positive culture in your organization, you’ve got to practice what you preach to others. You need to exemplify the values that you want to instill in the employees. Keep in mind that as a CEO or a leader, you're a role model for your employees and they take cues from you about how to behave. 
3. Forward looking. Great leaders are effective problem-solvers. They always have the bigger picture in mind and never lose sight of goals they set at the beginning. They focus on working toward the solution rather than dwelling on problems. 
4. Passionate. As a CEO or a chief, you can't see your profession as just a job. Good leaders have to feel passionate about their work and the organization’s vision and goal. You care about the company and the people you lead and work with.
5. Humility and accountability. Leaders command rather than demand respect. People don't respect them because of their title or position but because of their behavior and approachability. They are humble, open-minded and willing to listen to their employees and their teammates. When things go wrong, they are willing to take responsibility and don't play blame games.
6. Praises others. Good leaders don't just take responsibility for their actions when things go wrong, they also give credit to the others where credit is due. A leader realizes the fact that an organization's success does not depend on one man but on the collective effort of the team.
7. Innovative. Great leaders are open to new ideas and to testing new theories. Leaders face failure head on. Leaders are willing to take risks and experiment because that's what keeps an organization's competitive advantage alive.
8. Excellent communicator. Communication skills are crucial to effective leadership. Good communication isn't all about talking but also listening to others, trying to understand what they are saying and then making an informed decision. It's about encouraging people to put forth their ideas. Leaders speak clearly and effectively to influence people. 
9. Confident. Great leaders are fearless. They are ready to take on challenges. They are visionaries who are not afraid to step out their comfort zone to try out new things in order to achieve their goal.
10. Trustworthy. Great leaders never violate the trust of anyone. This makes them more approachable among employees who feel confident sharing their concerns and queries with them.

Good leaders aren’t just born. They are made with years of learning and myriad experiences of dealing with people, situations and handling circumstances. My advice to all young budding managers out there, if you want to grow up to be a successful leader you got to be focused and curious. Love what you do and excel at it. Be ready for any challenges and situations that might come your way and face them with confidence. 

How to become a great leader

• Be ready to take on challenges. A great leader isn’t afraid to face the consequences. Be brave, yet prudent.
• Work on your skills. No one is a born leader. It takes years of learning, unlearning and experiences to acquire the skills it takes to be a great leader. Develop expertise in your niche and learn management skills. Remember a great leader is someone people like to follow and people would only follow you only if they see some exceptional work or knowledge on your part.
• Become a great communicator. This one requires discipline. Make it a habit to talk less and listen more. Pay attention to what is happening around you by observing things. Focus on nuances of the conversation, only then will you be able to make informed judgments.
• Be a part of the team. A great leader is somebody who sees himself as a part of the team. They are team players and focus on collective efforts by the team toward a shared objective.
• Never micromanage. Micro managing means keeping a track of every move and action by the team; monitoring every step they take. This can sometimes stifle creativity as team members feel they are always being watched and are hesitant to think freely. While it's good to be aware of what your team members are up to, it is also important to give them space and room to think freely and voice their concerns. This is bound to have a positive impact on the team's productivity.
• Lead with love. Last, but not least, love everything: Your organization, your work, colleagues, seniors; love one and all. What you do, do it with passion and love will show. Love people working with you, for you and people will love you back and follow you.

Conclusion

Each of the qualities is essential to great leadership. Without them leaders will not live up to their full potential and, as a result, neither will the employees. Therefore it is essential for companies to instill these values in their employees from the very beginning to encourage young and emerging leaders.