Sunday, March 25, 2012

Six Traits of a Great Leader

"The best entrepreneurs are passionate, innovative, demanding and caring. "


A recent article on inc.com talked six traits of a good leader. They were

1. They surround themselves with smart people. 
2. They demand accountability. 
3. They understand the power of thank you. 
4. They truly inspire others. 
5. They are engaged in their surroundings. 
6. They seek out positive energy.
What i can really appreciate about this article is how easy many of these traits are to implement. While on the surface many of these traits may seem fluffy and lack substance. If you read the article in depth you really get a good understanding of the difference you can make as a leader just by adopting some of these traits. 


Number five was trait that I initially thought was a little fluffy. I mean how can you really measure the impact you are making on an organization by being "engaged." The term can be so broad and applied in so many different contexts how can it truly be measured.  Although the article gave a good example of this trait in context talking about leader engaging with staff in meetings, making sure they are getting different perspectives from different people. "They are present and engaged--no mobile phones in hand during a conversation."


I also feel these traits will aid in the growth and sustainability of a startup. If your staff is happy and "smart", your start-up will thrive. Seeking out positive energy, saying thank you and inspiring those around you are all traits that can be interlinked and can create powerful relationships. These types of relationships can foster trust and loyalty which are important traits to have in a startup environment. 


Link to the article can be found here: http://www.inc.com/damian-bazadona/great-leaders-essential-traits.html

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