Photo of a man wearing a hoodie watching a picturesque sunset over an icy mountain in front of him.

6 Key Attitudes and Behaviors of Successful Leaders

Why is the role of personal attitude important for successful leadership?

Being an effective leader includes many aspects, from experience and knowledge right through to planning and strategy.

If you want to stand out as a leader, then it comes down to how well you communicate with others and what sort of relationships you are building.

Great leaders offer so much more than business knowledge and strategy. They know how to build trust and empower those they work with. Their people skills are what puts them apart and in a superior league to the lesser model of leadership.

We recently had an open chat session with our team and asked them what they see as stand out attitudes in good leaders and what unsuccessful leaders should address if they want to engage their team.

We came up with the following:

1. Positive communication

6 Key Attitudes and Behaviors of Successful Attitude of a Leader

This attitude would have to be one of the biggest influencers in the workplace.

As a leader, your influence will carry significant weight.

If you choose to congratulate and encourage or to order and criticise, your choice will set the tone of your leadership.

2. Gratitude

Dog holding a thank you card in its mouth as a sign of gratitude of a good leader

A leader who takes the time to acknowledge the hard work of their staff is going to build a robust and trust-based team.

On the other hand, those leaders who bark orders with little appreciation of the contribution anyone else makes is not going to earn trust or respect.

3. Unite the team

People uniting together by holding hands, which showcases leadership knowledge skills and attitudes

While it’s good to be vulnerable and to let your team know that you are a person, it’s also essential to see the vulnerabilities of others and to unite your staff.

When there is gossip or dissent taking place, a strong leader will let everyone know there is no place for gossip or petty conflict.

A positive workplace is one where every team member feels valued and respected.

4. Empower and develop others

e=mc2 written on a chalkboard

Successful leaders are quick to share their knowledge and do what they can to empower others. They want to grow the leadership and professional skills in members of their team.

5. Take responsibility

A pilot's hands as he flies a plane of people

A clear telltale sign of a good leader is one who steps up and accepts responsibility every time.

There is nothing worse than a leader who will step aside and let one of their team members take the blame for an unfortunate situation or outcome.

A good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit. – Arnold H. Glasow

6. Show empathy

Two friends holding hands

A successful leader has a high level of emotional intelligence. They have an understanding of where the other person is coming from, even if they disagree with them.

Showing empathy to staff members will contribute significantly to positive workplace culture and job satisfaction.

We all want to feel understood; a strong leader knows that and makes sure it happens.

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Like many other skills, the right leadership attitude is something we can all develop if we work on those required skills. If you want to be a successful leader, you can make it happen.

How is your attitude as a leader?

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