More Traits that describe Leadership
Today we have part 2 of 3 for the list of traits that
describe Leadership qualities. We will look to find these in our team members,
and then know which team members have these Leadership qualities within
them. Then it’s our job to help them
recognize and develop these qualities.
We help them find, develop, and play to their strengths for their good,
and the good of the team and company.
So, let’s get at it.
Emotional intelligence:
defined as awareness, control, and expression of ones emotions, the
ability to monitor ones own emotions.
This was not on John C. Maxwell’s list, and I think it’s important
enough to add it. These people are
relatively easy to find. And… this quality
cannot be taught. It only comes through
personal work, so when you find someone with emotional intelligence, take the
time to see what other Leadership qualities they have. The people you are looking for will not
hesitate to volunteer how they are feeling when communicating with others. They are able to recognize their emotional
state, and therefore are not controlled by their emotions. People who experience emotional outbursts are
not generally emotionally intelligent.
Emotionally intelligent people do get upset on occasion, and they will
immediately know why.
These people will be aware of their strengths and
weaknesses. They are the ones who get
along with just about everyone. They
will be empathetic, and so will be able to recognize the emotional state of
others. Money will not be the main
motivating factor for these people, and they will generally be very self-aware.
Focus: defined as
concentrating on one thing, pay particular attention to. At work, we are looking for people who stay
on task. They find ways to avoid
interruptions and distractions. They do
not get involved with gossip, side conversations, or phone checking. These are the people who are always done on
time, or early, and who have time to help others.
These people plan ahead.
They keep their work area clean and organized. They may take many short breaks, which can
help our brains stay on topic. People who
are focused know that multi-tasking is not really possible… we cannot
concentrate on two things at once. So…
they will work on one thing with all of their attention and energy, and then
when needed, they will move all of their attention and energy to the next
thing. You may see them using notes, or
checklists to keep themselves on task.
Generosity: defined
as the quality of being kind and giving, willingness to give. At work, people who are generous will often
put your agenda before their own, helping you look good instead of looking for
credit for themselves. They will be the
ones who share credit with their coworkers, and also share information with
them. The people you are looking for
will ask if you have time to talk, instead of demanding your attention when it
suits them. They will train and mentor
other workers, even when they are not asked to do so.
Generous people will show gratitude when given something,
including credit. They will be literally
generous when someone at work is collecting for charity, or someone in
need. They will be the ones who give of
their time by offering to come in early or stay late when the need arises. They will work cooperatively with other
towards a common goal. Generosity is a
very difficult quality to teach, so if you find this in a team member with
other Leadership qualities, help them find their way.
Initiative: defined
as the ability to follow through on a plan, the ability to assess and initiate
things independently. The people you are
looking for here will be the ones who go the extra mile to get the job done. They will volunteer for extra work, or the
new task. They also jump right to work
when they get there, rather than talking to all of their coworkers before
getting to work. These people will make
sure you are caught up with where they are in their project, and they will make
suggestions to save money or energy.
At my work, I watch for team members who pick up trash when
they see it, straighten out or fix other people’s work, hustle even though no
one seems to be watching, ask if they can change or add to a routine to improve
it, and keep me in the loop. Listen for
the people who ask “what if…”. They are
persistent, they intelligently as why they have to do something, and they
praise others without expecting anything in return.
Collaboration:
defined as working with someone or a group to achieve something, working
together in a joint effort. People who
collaborate will ask for clear expectations.
They will share credit and ideas with other team members. They will receive from peers, and give
feedback appropriately. They state their
opinions tactfully, without attacking the other people involved. They will be careful to define problems
without placing blame. These are the
people who will support group decisions, even when they are not in total
agreement.
In meetings, you might see them checking for agreement, and
attempting to gain commitment from other group members. They will check for understanding, and be
sure everyone is on board as they move forward.
They will invite contributions from each and every member of the group,
and do it without judgment. You will see
them happy when others get the win, and glad to be part of the group. I find that in order to be good
collaborators, people must have many of the qualities of Leadership within
them, just waiting to be developed.
Being good at this takes many qualities and skills, so when you find
someone who is a very good collaborator, start working with them as soon as you
can.
Positive attitude:
defined as approaching life with optimism and confidence, believing that
our attitude can affect the outcome.
These people are not very difficult to spot. They see the glass as half full, they show
gratitude, and they are appreciative.
They will often be very hard workers, and usually see the best in
people. They don’t often criticize
others, they don’t usually get involved in gossip, and they don’t tend to
complain.
The people you are looking for will accept what is, without
complaint. They will be happy to be on
the team, win lose or draw. They will
often compliment others, even strangers.
They are happy for the success of those around them, and they are
usually good at building relationships.
You can probably think of many more ways to spot someone who has a
positive attitude. This is one quality
that is very hard, if not impossible to train… it has to come from within. Someone who wants a positive attitude will
have some personal work to do in order to achieve that goal. This is also a very difficult, if not impossible
quality for us, as Leaders, to teach.
Make an effort to find and develop other Leadership qualities in these
people.
Well these posts are getting way too long. I was going to post a 2600 word post, and I
thought better of it. This is the first
half… last part tomorrow.
Oh… and if you like my blog, please ‘like’ my Facebook
page. The button is just up there at the
top right. I dare you to click it!
No comments:
Post a Comment