What Makes a Good Leader? 5 Essential Qualities

Learn what makes a good leader so you can achieve the career success you desire.

How do the most successful leaders get where they are? They typically do these five things very well:

• Network throughout the company (including upward)

• Create visibility for themselves

• Demonstrate their value

• Take initiative to solve problems

• Cultivate advocates in the organization.

What makes a good leader? Successful leaders are proactive about finding solutions; when they see a job that needs to be done, they take action. They might have made a name for themselves as the person who can solve tough problems. They also vocalize their accomplishments and convey their value, instead of hoping their work speaks for itself. They share measurable results to help others understand the value of their achievements.

Additionally, they create a strong network of allies and advocates throughout the organization, which helps them easily gain buy-in for their ideas. As they build their influence with those people, they lead from where they are. Further, they work to make a strong impression on people in high places who can help them get the recognition they deserve. They make sure that people across the whole organization know them long before they’re formally leading all of those people. As they build more relationships and strengthen their network, they find self-promotion growing easier and easier, as other people are doing much of it for them. When organizational leaders see them doing all of these things, or hear about them from other leaders, they often earmark them for a promotion opportunity.

If you’ve ever wondered what makes a good leader, look around you. The people who may be advancing more quickly in your organization than you are probably doing all of these things very well. Strive to master these qualities, and you’ll see yourself advancing more rapidly to your goal.

If you’re working to prime employees for succession, ask yourself which members of your team best display these five qualities. They’re natural candidates for promotion, especially if you help them continue growing these traits through motivational coaching.

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