23 Traits Of Super Cool Leaders

  

Leadership is one of those nebulous terms -- you hear it all the time but it has various definitions.

The traits that make up a good leader can vary depending on the organization, team, manager and work environment.

Leadership can also vary in style -- are you someone who dictates the group and doesn't listen to anyone else's opinion? Or do you lead with a more bureaucratic or democratic style?

"Every leader has a particular style of leadership that is innate.

However, the behaviors, attitudes or methods of delivery that are effective for one staff member may in fact be counterproductive for another," says Michael Burke, account supervisor, MSR Communications, a public relations firm.

"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 are what five leadership professionals consider to be traits that make up a good leader:

Rachael Fisher-Layne, vice president of media relations, JCPR, a public relations agency

1. Honesty. Always do the honest thing. It makes employees feel like they know where they stand with you at all times.

2. Focus. Know where you're going and have a strong stated mission to lead people on. If you're not sure, how can your people be sure?

You have to have strong focus and stay the course.

3. Passion. Whatever it is, you must have passion for what you're doing. Live, breathe, eat and sleep your mission.

4. Respect. Not playing favorites with people and treating all people -- no matter what station in life, what class or what rank in the org chart -- the same.

5. Excellent persuasion abilities. People have to believe in you and your credibility.

Image is everything and the belief people have in you, your product, your mission, your facts or your reputation are key to being a great leader.

You have to persuade people of this -- it doesn't just happen.

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.

Tom Armour, co-founder, High Return Selection, a recruitment firm

1. Integrity. They are people who are respected and worth listening to. I find in general due to all of the economic difficulties, employees prioritize and seek leaders and organizations that are honest and meet their commitments.

2. Compassion. Too many leaders these days manage with the balance sheet, often times at the expense of their employees and long-term customer relationships.

Talented people want to work for leaders and organizations that truly care about their employees and the communities in which they operate.

3. Shared vision and actions. People produce real business gains and smart people need to understand what is needed and be part of the solution.

4. Engagement. Great business leaders are able to get all members of their teams engaged. They do this by offering them challenge, seeking their ideas and contributions and providing them with recognition for their contributions.

5. Celebration. In today's work environment, people are working very long hours and they need to take some time to celebrate their successes in order to recharge their batteries.

Those leaders who fail to do this create burnout environment overtime.

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.

Source:     CNN

12 Ways To Become A Charismatic Leader

They say "you either got it, or you don't." But when it comes to charisma, you don't have to have it — you can learn it. 

According to Olivia Fox Cabane's book "The Charisma Myth: How Anyone Can Master the Art and Science of Personal Magnetism," people aren't born with charisma. They acquire it through knowledge and practice.

Charismatic leaders are more influential, persuasive, and inspiring. People are magnetically drawn to them and more willing to perform above and beyond the call of duty to support them.

So how can you become more charismatic? 

We've compiled the most useful tips and tricks from the book below.

Loosen up; you don't have to be the most attractive person in the room.

Yes, we all agree that being attractive certainly has its advantages, but it's definitely not a requirement. 

Winston Churchill wasn't a sex symbol, but he's still considered one of the most influential leaders in history.

Make people feel like they're the most intelligent, impressive, and fascinating person you've ever met.

To make someone feel as if they're the only person that matters, do these three things during conversations:

1. Lower the intonation of your voice at the end of sentences.

2. Reduce how quickly and often you nod.

3. Pause for two full seconds before speaking.

Always be present.

A study conducted by Harvard professor Daniel Gilbert estimated that 46.9% of the mind is spent "wandering."

"Being present means simply having a moment-to-moment awareness of what's happening," Fox Cabane writes. "It means paying attention to what's going on rather than being caught up in your thoughts."

In the middle of a conversation, if your mind is somewhere else, your eyes will glaze over and your companions will notice. Make an effort to be in the moment.

Think of something pleasant so you appear to be sincere.

Your brain doesn't know the difference between imagination and reality so when you imagine something pleasant, your body will react in an open, accepting manner and make you appear more sincere. 

It only takes 17 milliseconds for people to read your face, so any "split-second microexpression" has a good chance of being caught. Fox Cabane writes:

If there's an incongruence between our main expression and that microexpression, people will feel it on a subconscious level: their gut will tell them something's not quite right.

There's a clear, visible difference between a social smile and a true smile. Think of something pleasant and your smile will be a real one. 

Make sure you have a solid handshake

The right handshake will do more for you than an expensive suit will. To appear more open and inviting, rise if you're sitting to be similar heights and keep your hands out of your pockets when you shake someone's hand.

And be sure to avoid the worst types of handshakes: 

1. The Dead Fish: This happens when one hand is extended into another, but there is barely any movement.

2. The Knuckle Cruncher: This happens when there's too much force. The violator is usually someone who doesn't know their own strength or someone who is trying to prove that they should be taken seriously.

3. The Dominant: This happens when the hand's palm is extended down, which symbolizes the offender having the "upper hand." The opposite of this is "The Twisting Dominant," which is where the hand is normal at first, but then twists to gain the upper hand once contact is made.

4. The Politician's Handshake: This happens when the other person uses their free hand to cover the handshake, the other person's wrist, arm, or shoulder.

Become an excellent listener by deliberately pausing and asking questions.

John F. Kennedy was known as a "superb listener" who made others feel like he was "with them completely."

When most of us are trying to show that we're listening, we typically wait for someone to be done speaking before we start. 

This is not a sufficient method. Instead, ask them questions. 

If you're truly not interested, it will show on your face that you're secretly waiting for your turn to speak.

Choose your seat carefully around a table.

When people sit across from one another with a table separating them, they tend to argue more and speak in shorter sentences.

If you want to avoid confrontation with someone, sit next to them or at a 90-degree angle from them. 

Also avoid seating them with their back to an open space, especially if there is a lot of commotion going on behind them.

Don't compare yourself to others.

It's in our nature to compare ourselves to others, but if you're criticizing yourself, "the threat response impairs analytic thinking, creative insight, and problem solving," David Rock, the founder of the NeuroLeadership Institute, told Fox Cabane.

This affects us personally, but it also affects how others perceive us.

Combine your power with warmth to create a full, charismatic package.

To show that you're powerful, you don't have to physically have great strength. You can achieve this status by maintaining a strong persona — either by displaying intelligence, like Bill Gates, or kindness, like the Dalai Lama. 

When you increase your level of power, your charisma level also increases, but it's best to combine this with warmth so you don't appear too cold or dictatorial.

Don't let self-doubt affect your persona.

In 1978, Georgia State University professors discovered that the "impostor syndrome" affected 70% of the population at one point or another. 

When you have it, you feel like a fraud and fear that you'll one day be exposed. 

You may worry that your success in life has been the result of some kind of error or think that everyone around you is more intelligent than you.

Highly successful people like Tina Fey and Sheryl Sandberg have confessed to feeling this way sometimes. 

This kind of self-doubt can make you appear untruthful and unsure of yourself, repelling people rather than drawing them to you. While there's no magic cure,sharing your feelings with a trusted confidant may help relieve them. 

Make time to warm up before a big event.

When it's important that you're charismatic, make sure you fit in a warm up period that allows you to gradually ramp up to the level you want. 

You wouldn't run a marathon without warming up or give a speech without practicing — so don't think you can simply be charismatic on the spot. Get in the mental state of warmth and power by taking part in an activity beforehand that makes you happy.

If running calms you, then make time for this or simply listen to your favorite music before an important meeting. Make sure the playlist has songs with themes of self-confidence, warmth, empathy, and patience.

Know that there are different charisma styles.

You can choose different styles based on your own personality and situation. Whatever you do, don't force it or you'll end up seeming unauthentic. 

Here are the different styles:

1. Focus: This style is based on the perception of presence. Adopt this when you want people to feel like they're the only ones in the room with you.

2. Visionary: This style makes other people feel inspired.

3. Kindness: This kind of charisma comes from body language and is based mostly on warmth. However, if you don't combine this with some authoritative skills, you'll come off as overeager.

4. Authority: This is the most powerful charisma style, and those who acquire it are not likeable all the time. We evaluate this power through four indicators: body language, appearance, title, and reactions of others.

Source:     How To Become A Charismatic Leader