What does it mean to be a leader?

What is a Leader?

Explore the simple question “what is leadership?” by:

1. Leaders are those who motivate and inspire their followers.
2. A leader has a vision, and knows how to achieve it.
3. Leaders are those who provide their team with the tools and support they need to reach their goals.

A leader can be one of these things, but a great leader will be all three.

A leader who is effective has a vision that is aligned to their core values, and knows what it takes to achieve the team’s goals. They motivate, guide, and encourage their team to achieve a shared vision.

A leader encourages his team to develop their unique leadership skills and to act with passion, independently and responsibly. They inspire and motivate their team to keep moving forward and remain excited about achieving their goals.

What is the role a leader plays?

You now have a clearer understanding of what a leader does, but you may still wonder, “What exactly is a leader?”. The answer, “it depends,” is very relevant. Each leader’s specific role changes depending on their team size, organization or base. This also depends on the values and goals of each leader, both short- and long-term.

A leader’s role is to inspire, guide and coach others. Leaders motivate their teams to overcome difficult times, and they guide people through their career advancements. A leader is able to manage individuals in order to align teams and work towards shared goals. They promote a collaborative culture, and they lead by example.

What is a leader?

You can see that a leader is tasked with many duties. They tend to fall under the same three categories:

• Coach
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• Inspire

Coach

Good leaders strive to develop their teams and employees through coaching and mentorship. It can be done through one-on-one meetings or asynchronous touchpoints. Most of their coaching is geared towards supporting the goals of the organization.

A great leader balances the goals of both the employee and the organization. Make the development of each person a symbiotic process. The growth of an individual is often correlated with that of the company.

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Leaders also guide their staff in addition to coaching. It involves building and organizing teams and establishing goals.

Leaders can help employees to find solutions for problems or even difficult conversations.

Inspire

Inspiring others is a role that leaders often undervalue. A leader who is able to use their storytelling skills, empathy and communication abilities can inspire their key stakeholders and employees.

Leaders are expected to inspire others, whether they’re promoting a direct subordinate, arguing against a certain strategy or managing a group that hasn’t met its goals.

What are some of the common traits of a good leader?

Leaders never abandon their team. Leaders are able to balance vision and support, empowering team members to reach shared goals. They don’t have a singular style of leadership.

Leaders tend to share seven common characteristics.

1. A sense of purpose. It’s difficult to motivate team players without a sense or purpose. Leaders help people understand the purpose behind goals and encourage them to participate. Making daily processes feel more purposeful can help maintain team motivation as well as personal investment in bigger goals.
   Leaders who infuse a personal sense of purpose into the overall mission of their company inspire accountability within their teams. It encourages the team to develop their leadership skills and achieve big goals.
2. Motivation. Leadership is a great motivator and leaders create goals that are aligned with values so their team members feel inspired to work towards the company’s mission. Leaders empower their teams to go beyond their responsibilities by empowering them with constant outreach.
   Motivation is more than just inspiring words. Great leaders listen to and talk with their team. Listening, supporting and inspiring others to do their best is what it takes to be a great leader.
3. Vision. Leadership is about seeing the big picture and bringing together team members to achieve a common goal. Leaders inspire their teams with an end goal that resonates with personal values and inspires them to action by incorporating the team strengths and core value.
   Companies often achieve goals without a coherent vision that is aligned to core values. This does not progress the company in any particular direction. Growth does not mean staying afloat. Leaders have a vision for growth and expansion.
4. Empathy. Leadership empathizes with team members. They inspire others to go beyond their responsibilities and work towards a common goal. Leaders instill a sense value by listening to their teams and sharing their appreciation. Leaders who prioritize empathy and acknowledge the efforts of their team members can empower them to act and see for themselves. Leaders can also address concerns by putting themselves in their team member’s shoes.
5. Creativity. Managers may feel inclined to maintain the status quo but leaders are more likely to innovate with bold and creative splashes. Leaders encourage employees to think differently and ask “why?” rather than worrying about the hierarchy.
   Leaders embrace new strategies and concepts when they are guided by a lofty goal. When it comes to finding more creative and effective ways to achieve long-term goals and success, nothing is off limits.
6. Team Vision. While the vision of a company may start with its leaders’ vision, it will be worthless if they don’t communicate their vision to team members.
   Leaders can achieve their long-term objectives by motivating team members and achieving individual goals. When team members are inspired by their leader’s values and vision, they will go beyond their responsibilities to achieve their goals.
7. Leaders are never satisfied with their own improvement. Leaders are always looking for ways to better themselves and their team. Leaders who are oriented towards improving themselves and their teams actively seek feedback, and they value ideas that promote effectiveness and improvement.
   Leaders who create an environment in which feedback is not only helpful, but highly valued encourage team members to express their opinions and to bring forward the best ideas. This can result in higher innovation and longer-term success.