Is your boss making you do extra work? Have you stayed over time multiple times to finish your manager’s job? Or, maybe you’re constantly being yelled at and criticized for every single task you handle? Believe it or not, these kinds of behaviours are common worldwide!

 According to the Gallup “at least 75 percent of the reasons employees quit is because of their managers” . So, if you are an employee having a hard time in the office ,or, a manager who’s making the mistakes mentioned above , let us introduce you to the 5 characteristics that would definitely make you the best leader out there!

1-  TRUSTWORTHY : 

Trust is the first piece of the puzzle . It’s  fundamental in every relationship, whether personal or professional. In order to motivate others to do their best and share the same vision and goal as you, you’ve got to be the first one they can think of ,whether to tell you their work-related issues or even have your help to solve the occurring problem. 

The bonds created with your team by being honest with them instead of keeping them in the dark about what’s actually happening, won’t be easily breakable, since every part of the team is aware of the situation and knows the value of his work .

It can actually be hard to earn everyone’s trust so soon. It needs time, patience , a good ice-breaker, and it actually brings us to our next point :

2- To be a DOER not a TALKER :

Everyone can talk and promise others to do all sorts of things. The reasons differ : either to actually accomplish something or, as naïve as it sounds, to be accepted by others. Those “talkers” are full of hot air,obviously. They have excuses for everything such as ” I don’t have time, or the skills needed etc..”.

But, guess what : Only true leaders make sure to stick to their words once pronounced. They will do what it takes to make them a reality. 

Leaders know the weight of a word and the consequences of misplaced ones. That’s why they choose to get their hands dirty and show how the job is supposed to be done in order to achieve the goals set and bring those promises to life. Naturally, the members will follow that leader, because, let’s admit it,people like it when someone knows what he is doing and how it’s supposed to be done!

3- Decisive :

Being in a leadership position is all about making decisions. The more important your position is, the harder it will be to make a choice. 

However, if you can look at a situation from different perspectives, and have the ability to forecast the outcome of your actions, you’re more likely to make the right decision and hopefully succeed. 

Inc. magazine stated :“This, according to Steve Jobs, is the heart of his approach to making decisions:

You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something–your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

Steve Jobs was aware of something special when he made his decisions: “He knew that he didn’t know everything.”

So, don’t  be afraid of taking that huge leap, even if it seems scary! because , at the end of the day, the only way to learn is to go through the hardships and reflect on the mistakes made!

4-Good Communicator :

“Communication can build bridges or break them” 

This characteristic is always mentioned and recurring everywhere, which makes it seem kind of overrated sometimes. 

Dear reader, let us emphasize it for you even more : it is extremely Important! 

The thing is, humans don’t have the ability to read minds like Professor X – sad, we know !  That’s why, if you don’t express your thoughts and ideas clearly or convey accurately your objections, you’ll get people confused. This confusion, as you can guess, may lead to undone tasks and maybe cause more trouble than solving them. 

There are some ways to help you be on the same wavelength with your team . Either by expressing your thoughts directly by actually vocalizing them to the concerned ones , or indirectly by giving notes or emails  of : feedback , constructive criticism or simply your point of vue. The means are countless ,it’s up to you to call the shots!

A good communicator implies being also an active listener who accepts the others’ ideas ,does his best to put himself in their shoes, and who is able to set some boundaries to keep a professional and a well channeled communication .

5- Show appreciation :

In order to keep the team motivated, the leader has to recognize their efforts and thank them for every task they do – including the tiniest ones.

Even though this act seems as unnecessary, because, at the end of the day, they’re responsible for their jobs, studies proved that showing appreciation boosts the member’s self confidence. It pushes him to do better every time and have pleasure while working.

This small act of valorisation lessens the pressure on the member . It makes him achieve and produce more while being satisfied since he knows he’s being tracked and noticed!  All you have to do is say those magical words “ Thank You”. Afterwards, you’ll notice how the performance of your team improves marvelously!

In the end, let’s all agree: there are endless characteristics of a good leader. You can actually consider the ones mentioned earlier as the major keys (we can’t fit all of the characteristics in the same blog ,duh!). But, if the ones enumerated above are thoroughly understood and put into work, they’ll help you to unlock the rest of them. However, we believe that there’s a leader in every one of us. He’ll hopefully appear in the right time and under the appropriate circumstances . As for you, leaders and managers out there, trust your members and have faith in them! it’ll make your and their lives easier, believe me!