Attributes of a good leader

What makes a good leader? How do you show leadership to your employees? Having a good self-esteem is a great place to start. When you convey to people that you are confident and capable, they will see you as a good leader. There are many other attributes of a good leader.

Lead in how you work
If you show up late to work, you employees will think its ok for them to show up late or leave early. Setting an example in the workplace is a leadership skill. As a good leader, you need the respect of your employees. Happy employees who respect your leadership will help you "look good". They will come to you with excellent performance that helps the department.

Make sure you show your employees you value them and their hard work. Treating your employees as equals, showing them respect, and give people your time.

Have a good attitude
Don't come to work with personal baggage. If you had a bad night, the workplace is the last place to talk about it. Yes, you want to have a good relationship with your employees but they don't need to know about your personal problems. Come to work with a happy, positive attitude. It will radiate to your employees and everyone will work in a comfortable environment. A good leader recognizes that people don't want to work for someone with a sour attitude.

Have a vision
If you come to work and treat it as a day to day job, you are not going to be a good leader. Having leadership skills comes with having a vision of the future. A good leader must be creative. Show your staff the "impossible" and show them how as a team you will all achieve it. Leadership inspires people to think outside the box and "dream big". People want to accomplish more and do something worthwhile in their job.

A good leader tackles the fear of people. Stand up for your ideas and goals. Show your staff why they need to trust you. This is an attribute of a good leader. Someone who will stand up for their staff and the ideas they have created.

Learn
A good leader can admit mistakes. If you have tried something and it failed, learn from it. Admit that you made a mistake pinpoint that mistake and move forward. A good leader challenges their staff to learn with them. It shows equality amongst everyone since you are all on the same level.

Everyone respects a leader who isn't perfect.

Power and Force
There is a big difference between power and force. Your employees know you have a certain level of "power", however this does not mean you should force your ideas on them. A good leader leads with strength from inside; they do not gain it from walking on people. True strength is admired as a leadership skill. Your staff will respect you and believe in you for being strong.

Make time to relax
All work and no play makes it a dull day. Many people complain they are overworked in their job and do not have time to "detox". Phil Knight, the founder of Nike, recognized this and he added extra down time to the employee's day to exercise. The company is known as one of the best companies to work for because of this. A good leader recognizes that people need to have fun. Time off and relaxation gives life and work meaning. A good leader has a sense of humor and makes time to laugh with their employees. If you want to be a good leader, make time to laugh. It uplifts everyone on your team.

No matter how you go about being a good leader, make sure you always take a few moments to thank those who work for you. Nothing shows respect and trust as well as a leader who is humble.