Not every manager is a great leader, and neither does every great leader make a great manager; when considering the topic, it’s important to recognize that there’s a difference between leadership and management. When it comes to running a company, you’ve got to be able to recognize the difference early on, and that a good manager isn’t necessarily always someone who the people will follow; and, in the case of startups, it’s critical that the people you work with look up to you as a leader – otherwise, your startup will inevitably die. But, what are the qualities that make up good leadership?
According to a recently published infographic by ELIV8, there are top six qualities of great leaders. Each of these traits, when found in one person, can contribute to a leader to whom people not only look up, but also someone who can successfully motivate their teams to accelerate a company’s goals and missions. While there are certainly nuances between different types of leadership – whether he or she is of the authoritative sort or of the democratic kind – the essential qualities of great leaders are the same.
Looking at the infographic, we see some traits that we’ve observed previously as top traits of great leaders. For instance, having a vision and being able to clearly express that vision to people is the first trait listed on ELIV8’s infographic. Great leaders need to be driven by some purpose or some kind of vision, and be able to motivate his or her team to fall in line with the purpose.
The other five traits include: humility, self-awareness, integrity, commitment, and generosity. Read more about each of these qualities of great leadership in the infographic below:
