16 Traits You Need to Be a Great Leader

1. Intelligence and Action-Oriented Judgment: Great leaders and smart and make choices that move the group forward.


2. Eagerness to Accept Responsibility: Strong leaders take on responsibility and don't pass the blame on to others.


3. Task Competence: A great leader is skilled and capable.


4. Understanding Followers and Their Needs: Effective leaders pay attention to group members and genuinely care about helping them succeed.


5. People Skills: Excellent interpersonal skills are essential for leading effectively.


6. Need for Achievement: Strong leaders have a need to succeed and help the group achieve their goals.


7. Capacity to Motivate People: A great leader knows how to inspire others and motivate them to do their best.


8. Courage and Resolution: The best leaders are brave and committed to the goals of the group.


9. Perseverance: Strong leaders stick with it, even when things get difficult or the group faces significant obstacles.


10. Trustworthiness: Group members need to be able to depend upon and trust the person leading them.


11. Decisiveness: A great leader is capable of making a decision and is confident in his or her choices.


12. Self-Confidence: Many of the best leaders are extremely self-assured. Because they are confident in themselves, followers often begin to share this self-belief.


13. Assertiveness: A great leader is able to be direct and assertive without coming off as overly pushy or aggressive.


14. Adaptability and Flexibility: Effective leaders don't get stuck in a rut. They are able to think outside of the box and adapt quickly to changing situations.
15. Emotional Stability: In addition to being dependable overall, strong leaders are able to control their emotions and avoid overreactions.
16. Creativity: Perhaps most importantly, great leaders not only possess their own creativity they are also able to foster creativity among members of the group.