Seven Habits of Successful Leaders

Leadership is a quality that is polished through learning over the years. A successful leader inspires through her actions, habits, and deeds. A leader is one that the followers or the team will emulate and follow. A leader is keenly observed for her skills, qualities, and competencies. Pleasant and cheerful, a leader will be optimistic, collaborative, motivating, and action-oriented.

Apart from the skills, a leader will have habits that are peculiar to her. We can say that these habits make a person worthy of being a leader. Let us put it another way: when adopted, these habits can make you progress towards leadership. Let us see what the seven habits of a successful leader are.

Be Proactive

A leader will always adopt a proactive approach. The proactive approach helps in foreseeing situations and ready the solutions. Effective and successful leaders always nurture the habit of being proactive. They remain vigilant toward the micro and macro environments. Being proactive also means focusing on what you can control and influence—channeling your energy towards those tasks that can add productivity. A proactive leader anticipates the situations and the challenges and will keep the plan ready to handle any situation.

Eyes on the Goal

A successful leader will plan only after figuring out the goal. She will always keep the decisions and the processes aligned with the goals. With the eyes set on the goal, other challenges and deterrents are duly addressed.  

A goal-oriented approach is a must for every successful leader. Taking inspiration from the leader, the team will also follow the effective habit of pursuing excellence.  

Self-discipline

A leader always practices self-discipline. Her routine and work schedules follow a strict structure. A successful leader will never be seen indulging in energy and time-draining exercises. A leader sets the example of accomplishing the goals- short-term or long-term irrespective of the obstacles faced. A leader will not get distracted but remain focused on the deliverables. This self-discipline proves to be an excellent asset of a leader.  

Not just work, a leader will shine through self-discipline as well. Be it physical exercise, mental well-being, or other healthy habits; a strong leader will always prove that her commitment to self-discipline is strong. 

Give Due Credit

A leader is the best mentor that a team can have. A leader mentors and inspires the team with her experience, insights, and skill. One of the best habits of a successful leader is that they acknowledge the efforts of their co-worker or the team. A successful leader will never deprive the team of a deserving appreciation. 

A leader knows that the team works best with positive reinforcement and builds trust, leading to even better efficiency and productivity in the team. A leader keeps the co-workers motivated through acknowledgments and rewards the achievements with adequate appreciation. A successful leader is looked up to for this winning habit.  

Excellent Two-way Communication

Courteousness and a polite tone are the characteristics of a successful leader. In no way can this lead to undermining the leader’s authority. A successful leader will always keep the communication channels open. Since a leader interacts with many stakeholders, it is crucial to keep the communication alive. A successful leader is a great listener, an essential component of two-way communication. 

Listening is one of the most significant habits of leaders. When you listen intending to understand rather than respond, it builds trust and resolution. Listening well can even lead to new ideas and initiatives. A successful leader always attempts to convey her vision, thinking, and goals to her co-workers. In the absence of clear communication, ambiguity and chaos will become the order of the day in an organization.  

Practice What You Preach

A good leader always practices what she expects the team or the followers to do. Rather than being told what to do and what not to do, a successful and effective leader will show the appropriate behavior. A good leader commands respect, trust, and loyalty. 

Let’s take a small but significant example here on sustainability. If a leader is seen using less paper or reusing the paper, the practice will circulate in the entire organization. This can lead to huge savings on paper, making a direct positive environmental impact.  

Bringing Synergy

A leader must handle people from different backgrounds, ethnicities, opinions, ideas, and thoughts. It is not an easy task to coordinate people of diverse backgrounds together and then channel them through shared goals. When a leader synergizes, it leads to a great work culture apart from high productivity. Synergy can also lead to great ideas from the team. 

End Thoughts

These habits are cultivated through a constant endeavor to improve. Leadership emanates brilliance through healthy habits and top-notch skills. A successful leader will maintain the uniformity of her habits and practices gained through years of rigor and dedication.