Essential Leadership Qualities: Traits for Effective Leadership

This essay explores the essential character traits that define effective leadership in the modern business world. It emphasizes the importance of qualities such as effective communication skills, empathy, and the ability to influence others. Effective communication enables leaders to convey their message clearly and receive feedback, requiring both speaking and active listening skills. Empathy allows leaders to understand their team members' perspectives and make informed decisions that cater to their needs and capabilities. The ability to positively influence individuals is also crucial for achieving team goals. The essay concludes that leaders must continuously upgrade their skills to meet the evolving demands of leadership, highlighting that a leader's effectiveness depends on their character traits and their ability to utilize them effectively.

Running head: LEADERSHIP QUALITIES
Leadership Qualities
Name of the Student:
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Author’s Note:

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The process of leadership has become a very vital one within the folds of the present
day business world. The various business enterprises therefore take the help of various kinds
of leaders for the enhancement of not only the performance level of the enterprise but also for
the purpose of providing effective leadership to the organization (Bolman and Deal 2017). An
effective leader since the traditional times is imbued with the role of effectively leading the
various entities associated with the business enterprise towards the achievement of the target
outlined by them (Northouse 2018). Furthermore, it is seen that in the other spheres of life as
well the various leaders play a very significant role. Therefore, in the present times it is seen
that a debate has ensured as regards the qualities which are required of an effective leaders.
Many experts are of the viewpoint that some of the most important character traits which the
various leaders are required to posses for the purpose of providing effective leadership are
effective communication skills, empathy, the ability to influence others, persuasion, decision
making abilities, integrity of character and others (Smith et al. 2012). This essay will discuss
about some of the important character traits which an effective leader is required to posses for
the process of providing effective leadership.
Most of the scholars concur on the viewpoint that the perhaps the most important skill
an effective leader is required to posses is the skill of effective communication (Smith et al.
2012). The skill of effective communication enables the leader to effectively convey the
message or the information which he or she wishes his or her team to have. Furthermore,
many experts are of the viewpoint that the use of the skills of effective communication is
likely to help the concerned leader to persuade the various entities of the enterprise in a much
better so that they agree which the decisions as well as the viewpoints of the leader (Yukl
2013). A leader for the process of effectively leading the various entities of the enterprise
needs to convey the goals as well as the objectives which he or she is trying to achieve.
Therefore, it would be apt to say that the skills of effective communication is likely to equip

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the concerned leader with the necessary tool which is likely to help the concerned leader not
only to convey his messages to the employees associated with the organization in an effective
but at the same time receive feedbacks from them (Johansen 2012). The process of effective
communication requires not only speaking skills but at the same time requires active listening
skills on the part of the concerned individual (Johansen 2012). Therefore, the listening skill
also plays a significant role for the leader as by effectively listening to the things which his or
her teammates are trying to convey to him or her, the leader is able not only to give them
feedback but at the same time work on them. Therefore, it would be apt to say that the
effective communication is one of the key character attributes of a leader.
Empathy is another character trait which a particular leader is required to display for
the process of effectively leading his or her team towards the achievement of their goal or
objective outlined by them (Goleman, Boyatzis and McKee 2013). The skill of empathy
enables the leader to put himself in the position of his or her teammates and then decide on
the course of action which would be best suited to their needs (Drennan and Richey 2012).
Furthermore, the quality of empathy is likely to help the leader to take the kind of decisions
which is likely to help the individuals associated with him or her in the best possible manner
(Drennan and Richey 2012). Many experts are of the opinion that the use of the concept of
empathy for the process of leadership is also likely to help the leader to understand the people
who are associated with him or her in the best possible and set the goals as well as the
objectives for them as per their skills and capabilities (Smith et al. 2012). Therefore, it would
be apt to say that along with the skill of effective communication the skill of empathy is
another one which is likely to help a particular leader to lead his or her team in the most
effective manner.
Many experts are of the viewpoint that the one of the major roles of the leader in the
present times is the role of influencing the people or the individuals who are related to the

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enterprise in a positive manner so that they are able to achieve the target outlined by the team
(Schoemaker, Krupp and Howland 2013). Furthermore, it is generally seen that the
effectiveness of a particular leader depends on the extent to which he or she is being able to
influence the people who are related to him so that they are able to achieve the target set out
for them (Komives, Lucas and McMahon 2013). Moreover, the ability of the leader to
influence the other individuals to get them to do the things which they do not want to do or
which is the best for the team depends on the character or the personality of the concerned
leader (Schoemaker, Krupp and Howland 2013). Therefore, it would be apt to say that the
ability to influence the other individuals of the team is one of the key skills which an
effective leader needs to posses in the present times.
To conclude, the effectiveness of a particular leader depends on the character traits
which he or she has and the extent to which they are being able to use that particular skill for
the process of their leadership. In the present times it is seen that the leaders are required to
posses various sets of skills like effective communication, empathy, the ability to influence
other people and others. Therefore, it can be said that with the changing times the leaders are
also required to upgrade the skills which they have for the process of their leadership.

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References
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