In today’s fast-paced digital world, there is a need for a new crop of leaders who are ready and capable of leading people through emotional challenges and other forms of crises. Leadership qualities required in this day and age are beyond what was obtainable in the past. To survive as a 21st-century leader, you must be able to, among other things, understand how technology is ever-evolving and shaping the world, embrace diversity and manage emotions. Let’s explore important traits that an individual can develop to help them evolve into a true leader
1. Empathy tops the list of traits that are required to be a critical leader in the 21st century. An empathetic leader has and shows genuine interest in the wellbeing of team members, the challenges they face, and their overall feelings. An empathetic style of leadership is aimed at motivating team members, bringing out the best in them, and ensuring increased productivity among members of a company. When a leader is approachable, flexible, and makes employees feel respected and valuable, they can be described as empathetic.
2. Communication is a two-way process and it is a very important skill for every 21st-century leader. To communicate effectively with team members, either physically or virtually, is to interact with them clearly in a way that does not create confusion. It is also about having good listening skills to respond respectfully. A look around a modern workplace can reveal the importance of communication skills.
3. Emotional intelligence is another important trait. As a leader, you should have the ability to understand and manage emotions and this is what emotional intelligence is about. In today’s world, this has slowly become an essential element because as a leader you are managing varying emotions daily. There is a need to critically analyze what these emotions are without negatively affecting the companies growth
4. Creativity is pivotal for success. To succeed in a world of today that is ever-changing, you need some personal traits for your team members which are creativity. These traits include being able to think outside the box and solve problems creatively, which will sustain good global leadership roles in future years. It is essential for growth.
5. Criticisms are one thing that would always be experienced in leadership. As a leader, once you have strong confidence in yourself and your companies mission, then you would be to withstand these criticisms which are both internal and external. Self-confident leaders inspire and empower team members while building trust, enthusiasm, and innovation.
Effective leadership is being able to project your vision and set the tone for your team. Today’s best True leaders move beyond the role of CEO and encourage others to lead, in turn creating more leaders. Are you a boss or a leader?
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