Leadership isn’t just important, it’s essential if you want to succeed at any venture. If you don’t have strong leadership your organization hasn’t got a chance. The need for leaders can easily become a vacuum filled by less capable hands if there is no one that can take the reins and shepherd the whole flock through tough or challenging times.
Research by the University of Notre Dame shows that leadership quality is a significant factor in why an organization is successful or not. Being a great leader means your team will be able to get more done and be a more cohesive unit and this means you can tackle the world as a united front.
The pandemic has accelerated the prioritization of what is important to families and individuals. Companies are experiencing staff turnover and good people are leaving for greener pastures all over the United States. Some are moving out of metropolitan areas completely while others are looking for a great place to work that takes care of them and provides a workplace culture that contributes to their quality of life. Getting great people on your staff is one thing, but trusting your leaders and managers to stay with you over the years is not something you can bank on.
If you suddenly lose a good leader it can send you into a tailspin faster than the blink of an eye. Studies revealed that 84 percent of organizations are worried about a shortfall of leaders in their ranks within the next 5 years.
Here are 3 essential Leadership attributes you need to get your team on board and in shape for success.
Vision
Having a vision of where you want to be as an organization means you can map out how two get there. Vision is something that can’t be taught particularly, it is something that a leader has in the fiber of their being. They see angles others don’t and figure out the best thing to do no matter what the circumstances. To be able to truly see a situation for what it is rather than react to something emotionally or get stressed about it means the outcomes are more likely to get a great result rather than a team failure.
Strategic thinking and acting
Having a vision means you can implement a strategy. Being able to strategize isn’t just about thinking up plans in your ivory tower. You have to get your hands dirty so to speak. A leader isn’t able to lead from an office alone. Communicating with the team and getting to know them means you know what each person is capable of and what their soft points or possible downfalls might be. Getting the most out of your team means, above all else, good communication. Paired with a solid dollop of self-awareness, you can make your influence felt when it comes to strategic thinking and ultimately acting on the plans set in place. You have to execute your plans or nothing will get done and the organization will suffer.
Courage
Being brave is not doing things that others shy away from for good reason. It is having the courage to confront the world as it is and as it might be in the future. That can take an awful lot out of a person if they don’t have leadership qualities. Courage is a big part of leadership. The best-laid plans sometimes have to be adjusted due to life getting in the way. You don’t need an all-out charge over the ramparts to succeed but you do need to have the courage to act above all else.
No matter what the future brings we will need leaders. Having the courage and emotional fortitude to lead folks isn’t for everyone but without strong leadership, we won’t be as successful as we would like.