What makes for a good leader?

Some people think that leaders are born that way. Others think that leaders are diligently grown. Either way, are their signs and skills which make someone a good leader?

The Center for Creative Leadership is an organization devoted to understanding the science of leadership. A recent article on their website titled 12 Essential Qualities of Effective Leadership identifies an comprehensive list of qualities found in good leaders. Based on research by Micela Leis, PhD, and Stephanie Wormington, PhD, the article opens with a general summary of their findings.

A good leader should have integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, compassion, and resilience. They should be learning agile and flex their influence while communicating the vision, showing gratitude, and collaborating effectively. See how these key leadership qualities can be learned and improved at all levels of your organization.

The article goes on to provide a list of specific qualities that good leaders bring to the table. The first one is Self-Awareness.

Self-awareness is the understanding of yourself, including personality traits, behaviors, anxieties, and emotions. While this is a more inwardly focused trait, self-awareness and humility are paramount qualities of leadership. The better you understand yourself and recognize your own strengths and weaknesses, the more effective you can be as a leader. Do you know how other people view you, and do you understand how you show up at work and at home? Take the time to learn about the 4 aspects of self-awareness and how to strengthen each component.

What are the other eleven characteristics of a good leader? Read for yourself on the Center for Creative Leadership website.