Required qualities of leadership for governance
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” – John C. Maxwell
Irrespective of how you define a leader, he or she can prove to be a difference maker between success and failure. A good leader has a futuristic vision and knows how to turn his ideas into real-world success stories. In this article, we take an in-depth look at some of the important leadership qualities that separate a good leader from a bad one. The supreme quality of leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, whether it is on a football field, in an army, or in an office. Honesty and integrity are two important ingredients which make a good leader. How can you expect your followers to be honest when you lack these qualities yourself? Leaders succeed when they stick to their values and core beliefs and without ethics, this will not be possible. The next quality that is required in leadership is ‘confidence.’
Probably the most difficult job for a leader is to persuade others to follow. It can only be possible if you inspire your followers by setting a good example. When the going gets tough, they look up to you and see how you react to the situation. If you handle it well, they will follow you. As a leader, you should think positive and this positive approach should be visible through your actions. Stay calm under pressure and keep the motivation level up. As John Quincy Adams puts it, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” If you are successful in inspiring your subordinates, you can easily overcome any current and future challenge. Meanwhile, commitment is one of the fundamental qualities of good leadership.
A good communicator can be a good leader. Words have the power to motivate people and make them do the unthinkable. If you use them effectively, you can also achieve better results. Apart from having a futuristic vision, until you clearly communicate your vision to your team and tell them the strategy to achieve the goal, it will be very difficult for you to get the results you want. Simply put, if you are unable to communicate your message effectively to your team, you can never be a good leader.
Hauwa Abdulahi Abubakar, University of Maiduguri, Mass Communication Department, 300 level.