Who is an ideal leader?

“As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” — Bill Gates

I believe an ideal leader is someone who acts as a catalyst for overall change and the betterment of society. They will guide and make important decisions, especially during difficult times.

Ideal leadership is an important factor that helps to shape our communities, organizations, or nations. However, now the question that arises is what does it take to become an ideal leader? What are the characteristics of an ideal leader? According to John Quincy Adams, who served as the sixth President of the United States from 1825 to 1829, if the actions of a person inspire others to learn more, do more, become more, and dream more, then that person is a leader. In India, eminent leaders and industrialists like Ambani, Adani, and Ratan Tata aided the growth of the country as their vision and hard work led their companies to greater heights.

Over these years, I have realized that leaders must possess certain unique traits that segregate them from others.

Ideal leaders are not born

You all must be familiar with the phrase “natural-born leaders”. As per this expression, ideal leaders are claimed to be born with certain qualities. However, with time I have understood that good leadership qualities can be developed and improved with time. You must be wondering how. Let me explain!

Experiential learning can be considered a powerful tool that helps in the growth of an ideal leader as proven by many successful organizations. Say, for instance, you may not be the most experienced or skilled person in your professional job field.

However, that does not mean you can never lead other people. In fact, you may be surprised to know that many great leaders tend to start out as average person who goes on to develop important leadership skills with time and experience.

Ideal leaders focus on self-awareness

I believe that a person should know himself or herself well before they can lead anyone else. All your flaws and qualities tend to shape who you are as a person. And you know there is nothing wrong with striving for more than just being satisfied with things that are familiar or comfortable. Let me tell you one thing, it takes immense courage and at times heartbreaks and failure to bring positive change within oneself. Human beings tend to have both good and bad qualities within themselves. He or she should be brave enough to face their demons head-on with confidence, honesty, and courage.

Now you all must be wondering why should an ideal leader focus on self-awareness. Well, I believe that leaders who are self-aware are better able to recognize and control their own emotions in the long run. As a result, they are able to respond more effectively to tough situations which in turn helps to improve their ability to manage and lead others. They have the power to change, grow, adapt, and learn from past mistakes.

Ideal leaders demonstrate integrity

As per my experience, a leader with integrity is someone who does what is right and always puts others before himself or herself. An ideal leader with integrity will have firm principles that will ensure that all the decisions he or she makes will be in the best interest of all the parties. I believe that a person with integrity can be considered as someone who is reliable and trustworthy.

Ideal leaders are people who tend to display these traits to lead justly and fairly. They tend to demonstrate a strong sense of character, display integrity through day-to-day actions, and most importantly keep promises. Let me tell you one thing from my years of experience, an ideal leader who leads with integrity goes on to earn loyalty and respect from his employees and everyone around.

Ideal leaders take responsibilities

Life is all about ups and downs, challenges and hardships; and on top of it, all it takes is guts to take ownership of their mistakes and admit when things have gone wrong.

I believe that as an ideal leader when you make a mistake, you should not try and shift blame onto someone else. It is your responsibility to be upfront with your team and take ownership when things go wrong. People will respect and follow an honest leader who takes responsibility.

Ideal leaders are reliable

One of the most important characteristics that I feel an ideal leader should have is reliability. When you are dependable, people will trust you and rely on you, especially during difficult times because they know their needs will always come first with you around.

I believe an ideal leader should ensure that their team members should deliver on their promises. A team can provide good results only if it has individuals who can always be counted on for a well-done job.

Ideal leaders should be a team player

One thing that I have understood over these years of experience is that an ideal leader is one who is able to delegate various tasks appropriately and show the team that he or she trusts them with responsibilities. However, a leader should also be ready to step in as and when required during emergencies.

As an ideal leader, it is very important to instill this confidence among your team members so that they are able to face hardship and challenges when things go south while knowing that they have your full support.

Ideal leaders are good observers

I feel leaders who are good observers and are connected with people from all walks of society are able to give better ideas and have more diverse viewpoints about various things. When you improve your observation skills, it allows you to “listen” with more than just your two ears and thereby helps you to make better decisions. It tends to bring a sense of calmness as you are no longer centered within yourself, but are selflessly involved in helping other people.

It is understandable that leadership does not come naturally to everyone. It involves deep passion, extreme curiosity, and that unquenchable zeal to help others. Not everyone can have that level of focus and dedication. But if you have that passion and dedication, you can be unbeatable.