Leadership traits by Erika

Leadership traits by Erika - December 2021 Scholarship Essay

A leader is a person who leads or orders a group and even a nation of people. It’s someone who tries to see how things can be improved for the better, and reassemble people to move toward that better vision. When thinking about the best trait, multiple words show up in my head. Two of the best traits would be accountability, integrity, and communication. To me these 3 traits are the best traits when being a leader, it helps you connect to the people you are leading and help them grow throughout their life.

Accountability builds trust between you and your employees, which is very important in any relationship. It helps you own up to a commitment or promise that you have made. When your team trusts you it makes it easy to achieve team goals. It also helps your employees to be comfortable with saying their thoughts on things and trust you to take into consideration what they’re telling you and the team. Accountability also promotes ownership throughout your team, It helps your people be accountable for their actions, and have a sense of autonomy. Instead of wanting constant support, employees will focus on what is in need of the company rather than what is required of them.

Integrity is when you are true to your word, you’re not afraid, to tell the truth, and you stand up for what you believe in. Integrity-driven leaders practice what they preach and own up to their mistakes rather than hiding them, blaming others, or making excuses. “People want to work for those who are ethical”, “They know that if their leader acts with integrity, that leader will treat them right and do what’s best for the business,” stated Tim Hird. From what Tim Hird said when leading with integrity makes you more reliable. It's easy to trust someone who adheres to their beliefs and ideals, whether in their professional or personal lives.

Communication is not only good for just a leader, it is also for employees too. Having good communication can aid in the development of a positive working relationship between you and your employees, which can increase morale and efficiency. It also boosts creativity and innovation throughout the business. When employees and customers feel comfortable expressing their feelings and ideas without fear of judgment, it helps you as a leader to see your employees’ perspectives and how they view everything all together. When being a leader, communication is key. Talk to your employees and let them know what you expect from them, and what they should put on the table.

Therefore accountability, integrity, and communication are good traits that help describe a leader. When having these traits it will help a leader or even a person grow through their business and life and have a successful business. You will see more positive things happening around you once you put these traits into action, and even positive traits.