Defining a good team leader can be complex since leadership style differs from company to company.
However, there is a set of features that increase a manager’s chances to succeed in the challenging job of leading a group and its members toward achieving goals.
The relevance of positive leadership in companies
In February 2020, as reported by Forbes, 80% of Mexican companies1 had no leaders, and barely 8% had implemented training programs for managers.
Because of that, those companies could face a 73% drop in productivity, expectations, and results.
Characteristics of effective leadership
The following are qualities that distinguish positive leadership both in traditional organizations and startups:
1. Intelligence
Intelligence helps identify every member’s potential and foster their growth. This can be accomplished by designing career paths aligned with the organization’s goals, focusing on individual development.
2. Integrity
Integrity is essential to lead and beneficial for oneself and work teams. This quality is developed from the leader’s identity, behaviors, reactions, and decisions.
A leader with integrity and responsibility for leading must fulfill their commitments, be on time for scheduled appointments, communicate with clarity and respect, and be able to acknowledge their mistakes.
3. Empathy
According to Daniel Goleman’s2 book, “What Makes a Leader?”, empathy in business leadership comes in three dimensions:
- Cognitive Empathy. This is the team leader’s ability to comprehend how others perceive a situation and respond from that understanding.
- Emotional Empathy. This is recognizing the emotional state of employees and knowing how it influences the way they perceive themselves, the teams, and the organizations, as well as their positions on specific issues.
- Empathetic Concern. This is how one reacts after understanding another’s needs and offering help or suggestions for their well-being.
From this, Marcelo Castelo3 stresses that empathetic business leadership must take into account more than interpretations, ideas, and feelings employees may have of a situation; it must consider all the factors defining the situation’s context
It also entails communicating with an eye for others without offending, disqualifying, or excluding.
4. Assertiveness
Assertiveness is being capable of discerning and saying the right thing at the right time to the right person. Those with this quality can easily manage conflicts, not take negative opinions personally, know how to say no, and discuss any subject sensibly.
5. Active listening
This soft skill of active listening determines directs the team down either an effective path or one that needs much more time to develop.
When employees feel listened to and valued, they perceive the workplace and interaction with superiors and colleagues as a safe space. They think sharing ideas and promoting growth based on diverse experiences is possible.
6. Persuasive communication
Persuasion is the ability to modify or strengthen attitudes, behaviors, and feelings related to how one identifies with business goals. Effective leadership works to inspire, not impose.
It is undeniable that leading a team is quite a challenge, yet fundamental to achieving business objectives. Developing and sustaining good communication and engaging with empathy, assertiveness, and integrity are key to reaching employees’ highest potential and loyalty.
At Advance Real Estate, we promote a management practice fully dedicated to the development of companies, their members, and the community to which they belong.
INFORMATION SOURCE:
- www.forbes.com.mx/el-80-de-las-empresas-mexicanas-carece-de-lideres
- https://www.danielgoleman.info/
- www.marcelocastelo.com/liderazgo-y-empatia-binomio-no-exento-de-riesgos
- galiapuerto.es/liderazgo-efectivo-alcanzarlo
- www.escueladenegociosydireccion.com/revista/…/como-conseguir-un-liderazgo-efectivo-tecnicas-de-comunicacion
- daliaempower.com/blog/5-comportamientos-para-fortalecer-la-integridad-el-activo-clave-del-liderazgo
- guidocattaneo.com/escucha-activa-para-lider
- liderazgoparticipativo.anel.es/blog/la-persuasion-e-influencia-como-componentes-del-liderazgo-participativo-2
