Things to Look for in a Good Leader

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Have you ever worked somewhere that had you dreading every time your alarm clock went off? Or how about seeing a supervisor or manager and could swear up and down they had the power to suck the joy out of any given room? Chances are high that these individuals lacked leadership skills, and the results can be devastating to those who must work alongside these people.   Here are things to look for in a good leader.

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Remember that not everyone knows what you know.

A difficult thing for anyone to remember is that we all have grown up in various cultures and environments. No individual will know everything that we have knowledge of because not everyone has experienced the exact same things that we have.  

My first job was at a skating rink as a Floor Guard, so I watched over the skaters. One day, I was asked to assist with the morning beginner skating lessons for our young students. It sounded easy enough. I had observed earlier lessons and it seemed straight-forward. My group started off on the carpet to learn how to balance and move forward on the skates. I thought, “Wow, all of you are fast learners! Let’s go ahead and put you on the actual skate floor!”

The kids took off confidently! Then, one by one, their faces went from ecstatic to slightly concerned to full-on panic! It didn’t take long for me to realize that I forgot to teach one more important lesson before releasing them onto a slick surface at their beginner top speeds. Based on their precious terrified faces and their now wild turkey-like motions, it was clearly obvious that those poor kids had not been taught how to STOP!

Luckily, no kid was hurt from their desperate crash landings, but it was an important lesson for me to learn that just because it seems like common sense to me doesn’t mean that someone completely new will know this information!

It may seem tedious at first, but please don’t assume that those you are leading will know everything, even if it seems obvious to you. Either ask if they are aware of a certain topic, or just explain it anyway and say it’s a refresher. Don’t allow your team to crash due to neglect of proper training!   

Be specific with your instructions.

If someone told us to respond to customers’ inquiries promptly, what does that mean? Within an hour? How about within that shift? Within 24 hours? We’re not mind-readers, and even if we were, some instructions would still seem vague if the person providing the instruction didn’t even know what they wanted!



Provide both positive and constructive feedback.

Don’t be the bearer of ONLY bad news. People will dread when they see you coming if this is the case. Imagine it like hearing your parents call you by your full name. When has that EVER been for a good reason? Seriously! If I heard my mom shout, “Kyndall Rachell Bennett, get down here and explain these amazing grades!” I would be trying to keep my heart from having a panic attack!  

There is a recommendation to praise in public and reprimand in private. This just means that we shouldn’t go out of our way to embarrass someone over a mistake. Things happen. If they do good though, let them know that you appreciate what they have done! If you know that someone doesn’t like attention drawn to them, then sure praise them in private, but never foster a negative environment. All that will do is discourage the team from making improvements. 

Listen carefully, especially to feedback.

It’s a lot easier to give critique than to receive it, but we all have something we can improve on. It’s important to listen to the people we are in charge over because there may be something that we do that isn’t clear to those that we are responsible for. Listen carefully for “um”s or extended silent periods during conversations because this could indicate a bit of confusion in the instruction.  

Encourage questions.

Nobody likes to feel like they’re behind on anything, but it’s also frustrating when we feel like we have no one to ask to help us catch up. Heck, I’ve been in situations in the military where I needed help when studying helicopter mechanics, and I would have guys who were senior to me ask, “How do you not know this?” It’s discouraging! Luckily, I had some great leaders who heard about this issue and pulled me aside to explain what I wasn’t understanding. It normally took less than an hour to train me most days, but that training stuck with me throughout the duration of my enlistment! Being approachable is a very important characteristic to look for in a good leader.    

Don’t try or pretend to be perfect.

Voice when you’ve made a mistake. Show that you’re willing to be modest and honest about an unfavorable situation. No one is perfect. Although there may be a fear of appearing incompetent, more people actually respect when their leader is willing to accept responsibility if they are at fault. And remember to be accountable for your teammates as well. As leaders, we are responsible for ensuring that our team has the resources that they need, so if a team member makes a mistake due to lack of information, it’s not “You made a mistake! Go fix it!” but “We made a mistake, so let’s figure out how to fix it!” 

Learn to lead.

No one is a born leader. We learn by following good leaders and by observing their positive impacts on others. We can also learn from bad leaders on what NOT to do from the personal experience of dealing with them. If you are currently using LinkedIn Learning, I have some recommended courses below if you are interested in learning more about leadership. If you do not have an account but would like to watch the videos, no worries! You can try a free month trial here

Now let’s hear from you!

Have you ever had to deal with a bad leader, whether they were a manager, supervisor, teacher, family member, etc.? What did you learn from them about how NOT to lead? Who in your life is a good leader? In what ways have they been a positive influence in your life? Please share your story in the comments! If you found this blog helpful, share it with friends. If you would like to read more stories and receive other learning opportunities, please subscribe to our newsletter! 

And as always, please remember to live your life one story at a time!

Take care,   

Kyndall Bennett from Kyrabe Stories

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Kyrabe Stories

Personal Development Blogger and Travel Photographer! Just trying to live life one story at a time.

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