At one time or another in our lives, we have all held some sort of leadership role. Maybe for some of you it hasn't been since your school days, but for most of the people reading this blog post--which are accountants with their own firms, small business owners, and CPAs, either with their own firm or in a leadership role at the firm they work for--leadership is a major part of your job.
Most of the time we talk about accounting-related subjects at MoneyThumb, but since many leaders are part of our readership, today we'd like to share some information, tips and advice from some of the top leaders in the field and what 23 traits good leaders possess, in their personal opinions. At the end of this post, be looking for a link to a free webinar on Leadership that will be held on Nov. 15, 2016.
Traits All Good Leaders Possess
Michael Burke, account supervisor, MSR Communications, a public relations firm has this to say about leaders, "Great leaders are aware of their own style and make the effort to learn how their style actually comes across to their team. They learn to flex their leadership style to individual team members so that they communicate and behave in ways that motivate and inspire."
Here is what three leadership professionals consider to be traits that make up a good leader:
Darcy Eikenberg, a leadership and workplace coach, Red Cape Revolution
1. Confidence. If you don't believe in yourself, no one will. I hear leaders worrying that if they show too much confidence, others will think them arrogant. The reality is people want to know what you know for sure -- and what you don't. Having the confidence to say "I don't know" is a powerful skill.
2. Clarity. The only way you can get confidence is by becoming really, really clear about who you are and what is most important to you. New leaders fail when they try to become all things to all people, or try to do too much out of their area of excellence. Clarity helps you say "yes" to the right things -- and "no" to others.
3. Care. The strongest, most effective leaders I've met care not just about the business, but about the people in it and the people impacted by it. Plus, they show they care through their words and actions, even proving how they care for themselves and their family by taking unplugged vacations and continuing their own professional development. Care shouldn't be a four-letter word in our workplace today -- and the best leaders know it.
Mike Sprouse, CMO, Epic Media Group, and author of "The Greatness Gap"
1. Humility. True leaders have confidence but realize the point at which it becomes hubris.
2. Empowering. True leaders make their associates feel emboldened and powerful, not diminished and powerless.
3. Collaborative. True leaders solicit input and feedback from those around them so that everyone feels part of the process.
4. Communicative. True leaders share their vision or strategy often with those around them.
5. Fearlessness. True leaders are not afraid to take risks or make mistakes. True leaders make mistakes born from risk.
Nancy Clark, author of "18 Holes for Leadership"
1. Genuine. You need to be clear on what your values are and must be consistent in applying them. As part of that, you need to have the courage to hold true to them. You must not lose sight of reality. Lost values may be one of the biggest causes of downfalls.
2. Self-awareness. You need to be clear on what your strengths are and what complementary strengths you need from others. This includes understanding others and learning how best to utilize their strengths. Many unsophisticated leaders think everyone should be like them; that too can cause their downfall. They surround themselves with people like them. "Group think" can blindside them and cause failure.
3. Leverage team strengths. Part of awareness is don't expect people to change. If you think you can change someone, think again. This doesn't mean you can't help them grow and develop. But don't expect to change anyone (even yourself) behaviorally. We are who we are. Your job as a leader is to understand each person's strengths and place them in positions where they can flourish and grow. If you are good at that, you have a huge part of the equation for success.
4. Leadership transitions. Going from individual contributor to supervisor is only the first of many transitions along the leadership pipeline. You need to understand the business model, how it applies to your current position, what you need to do to provide the greatest value, and how to leverage your strengths at this level. This requires building competencies and focusing on the right things. No one ever tells you that there are many levels and many adjustments you need to make along the way.
5. Supportive. You need to foster a positive environment that allows your team to flourish. Also by aligning the reward and recognition systems that best match your teams profile and deliver results.
Hopefully the input from these leadership professionals will help you decide if you are already a good leader or could use some polish. To help with that, take time to attend this FREE webinar which will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2016 and hosted by Illumeo, specifically geared toward accountants, bookkeepers, and CPAs. In fact, by attending this webinar you can receive CPA, CPD, or CMA credits.
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