Characteristics of an
Effective Leader
You can become an effective leader by following three
steps. First, you need to become a good (if not great) communicator. Second, you
must set reasonable goals so that you can motivate your team to success. Third,
you will need to become an expert in your job because the person who puts in
the most effort and has the most knowledge will ultimately lead the team
whether or not he/she are in a leadership position.
The first step to being a good leader is to be an
effective communicator. This requires you to speak clearly and with confidence.
Whenever you have a group speech or conference, prepare what you have to say, fit
your material to your audience, and maintain a comfortable amount of eye
contact (Hill, 2009) .
You must set realistic goals for your employees and
yourself to become a good leader. One way to set good goals is to follow what
Peter Drucker created and what he coined as SMART goals which are specific,
measurable, assignable, realistic and time based (What is a smart goal?, 2014) .
Next you need to know how to become an expert in your
field. It is acceptable if you don’t know how to answer an employee’s question but
do your research and be ready to find the answer for them (How to be a leader) . The more of the answers you can
give to them, the more likely your employees will follow your lead.
Now you
can see how important having good communication, setting measurable goals, and
knowing your job is in order to become a good leader. Once these are mastered
you are one step closer to becoming a great business leader.
References
Hill, C. (2009, July 14). What makes an effective
leader? Retrieved October 13, 2014, from Daily News:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/money/effective-leader-article-1.372028
How to be a leader. (n.d.). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from WikiHow: http://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Leader
What is a smart goal? (2014). Retrieved October 13, 2014, from Smart Goals:
http://www.smart-goals-guide.com/smart-goal.html