How Great Leaders inspire Action?

The success or failure of every organization in the world is always determined by the kind of leadership at the helm. Great leaders inspire others to take action. Great leadership is more than just apportioning roles; it involves inspiring and motivating others to get out of their comfort zones.

This blog will imbue you on how great leadership sparks creativity in others and the traits of a great leader. If you are aspiring to enhance your leadership skills then you are in the right place, read on.

Related Reading: How to Find Your Purpose?

Character traits of Great Leaders

Charismatic

Great leaders conduct themselves in a way that they are able to attract and persuade others to act. Their approachable nature motivates others to trust them, and in this way they are able to inspire positivity in others and push them to do greater things they couldn’t achieve on their own.

Responsible

In every decision they make, they know they are responsible for its outcomes and will stay true to it to the end. Great leaders will never apportion blame to other people in case their decisions blow up in their faces. They will accept that they are responsible and seek an alternative because their focus is to finish the task.

Apologetic

Not all the times will things run smoothly, once in a while there are shortcomings. Some decisions made by great leaders might hurt other people’s feelings or derail their plans and goals. Whenever this happens, a leader will accept that a mistake has been made and be ready to seek amends. This is because they understand that one cannot succeed by stepping on the toes of other people.

Visionary.

Where vision lacks dreams go haywire. Great leaders are people with a vision and will always want to share it with others and make it communal. They want the best for everyone and this makes them apprehensive to sit on an idea. They always want to understand the mind of others, how they think and feel about the future. Their vision changes the world for the better, and always it takes a lot of convincing and breaking of barriers for people to accept it but great leaders will always push on with it. When they believe in something, nothing else matters.

Flexible.

A fool is someone who cannot change their mind. Great leaders will always embrace new ideas and change their thoughts on certain subjects. They believe that the mind is not a statue, but a hub of ideas which gives them out when the right season presents itself. They always seek new trends and ideas because the world is moving with great speed. This makes them to remain on top of things and filter in what is necessary to drive their ideas and vision.

Empathic

Great leaders always seek to understand how other feel. They believe that for the good of the society or organization, everyone must feel that they belong. Creating friends and social circles is one way they connect to every person individually and learn more about them. Great leaders will always be keen to understand about the other person. They will value them and will never judge them when they make a mistake, but with great wisdom they will hold their hand and walk them to the right path.

Integrity

Great leaders are trustworthy people and this is a trait that earns them trust amongst their followers. When the leader is corrupt, then those behind them will also behave the same way. Great leaders value their self worth more and will never do anything that will make them be deprived of it. Trust is of great importance to them for they understand that once it is lost, there is no chance of getting it back.

Decisive

They are always resolute when they make decisions and are clear on the results they want to achieve. Once they make a decision, they are slow to change their mind. This trait comes in handy especially during times of emergencies or when there is pressure to solve a matter quickly. Great leaders know that procrastination leads to making decisions that are below par.  

Confident

Great leaders will always take a step ahead of everyone else. This does not mean that they are rude or they want to proof they know it all. It is about knowing what they want in life and what is best for everyone. When they decide to do something they know that it will be beneficial to everyone and they will do it with confidence.

Strategist

Without good planning generals cannot win in the battlefield. Being a great leader is not about just oozing words of motivation, it is about succeeding in all the decisions you make. Great leaders will sit down and make an elaborate plan that will be inclusive of other people’s ideas and fears. They always grasp every opportunity that presents itself and use it to their advantage.

Committed.

Great leaders do not run away when things get tough, they stand their ground to the end. They are always committed to their decisions and will even stand by them alone if others walk away. Their spirit is not dampened by the challenges that will befall them.

Patient.

Success cannot be achieved in a fortnight and great leaders understand this well. They will be patient enough to wait for the results once they make a decision. Being patient earns them true friends and good working relationships with their employees. Patience is the key to achieving their dreams.

How they inspire

Delegate

A great leader understands when to do a task and the time to delegate. Also they know which tasks to delegate and help their teams learn and grow. By delegating, many tasks can be completed in a short time and save on time and operational costs. By delegating some of the duties, they are helping others to grow and understand how tasks are carried out. This is one way of creating future leaders and making the work easier for everyone.

Lead from the front

Great leadership means one has to lead by example. A person whose team pulls a rope while he is at the back giving orders is not a leader but the one in front of the team with his hands on the rope. Leaders are always at the front. They are always willing to take the heat if things go sideways and protect those behind them.

Allows Teamwork

Teamwork makes work easier. Team players give their expertise and ideas on how to complete the task on time and still achieve the desired results. Great leaders know this and they convince people to work in teams. They also give each team proper and clear instructions and a specific task to do. They ideate the teammates on their roles the end goal of their task. This way, they learn on strengths and weaknesses of each team member and make necessary changes to fill the gaps without affecting the overall results.

Stand up for Others

Great leaders know that everyone makes a mistake yet they will still go out of their way to pull that person up and encourage them to try again. Their mantra is that no one should be left behind for there is space in front for everyone when we walk together.At the back of their minds; they know that they also have their individual weaknesses but they need to overcome them and motivate others to never give up.

Sets clear Goals

Without a clear goal the team members will be confused on the exact role each should perform. Great leaders understand this very well and wouldn’t want to walk this road. What they do instead is to make sure everyone understand what the objective of the organization is. Then set   clear goals for each team and the timelines. Once this is done, they do follow ups and periodic reviews to evaluate the progress of each team and make necessary recommendations.

Conflict management Skills

In every team, conflict between teammates must arise because of difference individual interests and great leaders know so. However, they are able to leverage on their conflict management skills to solve the emerging issues within the team and make sure it doesn’t affect the overall performance of the team.

Being Compassionate

Great leaders have compassion filled hearts and they seek to understand others more than they want results. When a leader takes time out of their schedule to have a chat with an employee, it always means a lot to the employee. They will get to understand the challenges employee is going through from a personal level, and get them to open up. This way trust is built between the two, and the employee will feel a sense of belonging, will know they have confidant, a friend to talk to when things become tough. Being present in the lives of those you lead gives them a sense of protection and unbreakable bond.

Inquisitiveness

They put their ideas on the table for everyone to discuss and understand. Likewise, they give a chance to others to offer their suggestions. There is one thing a great leader knows, and that is you can only manage what is under your control and leave what is beyond your control. Nevertheless, being cognizant of this ideology, they give their best in what they control. Great leaders always search for new ideas for they know new knowledge can spur their vision to greater heights.

Showing gratitude

When a leader takes time to recognize the efforts of someone personally and compliment them that person confidence rises up. In every organization, there are those people who go an extra mile to see things done as per the objectives and vision of the company. They sometimes sacrifice their personal time, social life to see things run smoothly. A great leader will inspire such a person to do more when they recognize their efforts in front of everyone. A word of thank you may seem something small but it goes a long way into raising their self esteem in front of other workmates.

Gives feedback

Great leaders always value other’s contributions and always strive to give specific feedbacks. This makes the others feel valued for their work and suggestions.

Empowering

For someone to grow they need a mentor. A great leader will motivate others and empower them to succeed by seeking to understand their long term goals and positioning them in places that will push them to achieve their goals.  A candle can light another candle without losing its light, and a leader can empower another person without losing his relevance. Great leaders always mentor others to succeed in their area of gifting and let them go their own way. This gives them space to let others who are amateurs to come in and be mentored until they also grow wings ad fly.

Listening ear

Great leaders will always lend their ears to others and listen to their concerns. This gives them a firsthand experience on what their lives are like. Listening to someone gives them peace and joy, it removes worries and anxiety.

Communication

Great leaders know how to communicate with others. They know what to say, when to say and where to say it. Good communication is a sign of respect to those they lead.

Recommended Book: Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow

Conclusion

As demonstrated above, effective leadership is rewarding. Great leaders command presence, they are the driving force that triggers positive changes within the organizations and society and catapult them to greater heights. This blog has dissected the essence of great leaders, they are not there to merely give direction but to motivate and convince others to aspire and achieve more.

Great leaders do not merely manage others but inspire and motivate them to be creative and achieve more. They create a welcoming environment for others to thrive and transcend beyond their limits. The teams become genuinely enthusiastic and innovative.

Being a leader is not easy; it is an added responsibility that comes with its challenges. Leadership is a complex field that requires brevity and emotional stability. It may proof stressful and push one to depression especially when those being led are driving themselves in different directions. However, what is stated above will help hone your leadership skills and bring positive changes to the society.