The Psychology Of A Good Leader
Any workgroup needs to be led by a good leader if it is to thrive, achieve goals, and work in a pleasant atmosphere. This person must be characterized by a series of rather demanding qualities which allow him to stand out within the group. The leader must be able to show empathy towards his employees, to organize tasks and work time well and to guide his colleagues.
The importance of the psychology of a good leader centers on good intellectual and communication attributes. It is also essential to pay attention to a series of personal traits that must be present or, if not, be learned.
Here are the main characteristics that we should find in a good leader, as well as the personality that should define him. Let’s dig deeper into this point.
1. Communication skills
First, a leader must know how to operate in two directions:
- He must be able to express his ideas clearly and ensure that this information is received correctly by his dependents.
- He must know how to listen and take into consideration the opinions and possible complaints of his colleagues and subordinates. By doing this, he will know his work environment better and can try to improve it, if possible.
2. Emotional intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to deal with emotions and feelings (our own or those of others). In addition, it includes the ability to discern these feelings and to use this information to adapt it to precise and adequate actions.
A good leader must know how to manage his emotions and those of his colleagues to better understand the repercussions of his decisions. American psychologist Daniel Goleman pointed out five main elements of emotional intelligence in leadership:
- Self-awareness
- Self-regulation
- Motivation
- Empathy
- Social skills
The more the leader manages to manage each of these areas, the higher his emotional intelligence will be.
3. Ability to clearly determine goals and objectives
One of the main difficulties that a working group can encounter is not finding a clear definition of its objectives. This can pose significant problems for the members of the group and lead to situations of stress and emotional fatigue.
The leader must be able to clearly set the goals of the working group and ensure that all team members are aware of them. In this way, he will be able to avoid unsuccessful work.
4. Planning capacity
In addition to the skills we have just mentioned, a good leader must be able to adequately plan the project of his work team. It is only in this way that the group will be able to achieve objectives: members will have a more defined line of work and will be able to better manage their working time, especially if a deadline for the project has to be respected.
5. Assistance
A good leader must help all his employees to develop, to progress and to solve their professional problems in an adequate way. The leader should be seen as a supporting figure and not as an authoritarian figure.
6. Innovation
A very interesting capacity of the leader is to be able to innovate in terms of working methods. Finding new ways to solve problems and develop project tasks is a fundamental trait in a fast moving society.
For this, it is recommended to know the most conservative and traditional techniques, while knowing how to exploit them in an innovative way or by looking for alternative solutions.
7. Liability
One of the main qualities of a leader must be that of responsibility. As the person leading a team, the leader must recognize the mistakes for which he is responsible and take his share of the responsibility. This ability will allow employees to see their leader as a suitable person for the job and may be of benefit to the whole group.
8. Information
A good leader must be properly informed about the projects that are in progress. He must therefore seek to know about similar projects in order to have a more ample and objective vision of the situation. In addition, it allows him to see how the project is evolving on a daily basis. It is therefore important that he communicates with the members of the team, that he knows their work and that he knows if certain problems exist.
Here are some of the qualities that must characterize a good leader if he is to be considered a “capable” and suitable person for the job. A good leader does not only organize, manage and plan: he also maintains bonds with his team and shows empathy towards his members.
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