This article is a contribution from Alejandro García, an economist specialising in marketing and financial markets, and the editor of the Geekpunto website.
Society is always undergoing profound change. The business models that succeeded years ago have given way to new companies that have known how to take advantage of major developments, especially technological ones. Not only have companies adapted more to people, who are ultimately the main cause of success or failure, but things are also no longer done the same way inside the company.
Starting a business isn’t easy, and being a leader even less so. Certain stigmas from the past are no longer valid, and many need to be updated. It’s not just a question of authority or experience; it’s also a learning process. Knowledge that comes from within, but also through others, whether co-workers or customers themselves.
Today’s leaders have the following traits. Without them, they wouldn’t have reached the position they hold.
1. Equality towards everyone
The people who help the business grow are the pillars that must be supported, and they should never be overstepped. It doesn’t matter whether it’s an investor, a junior employee or a customer who has just arrived. They are all equally important. It’s a philosophy that applies to every other area of life, especially personal life, where friendships and family relationships are so important for growth and development. The same is true in business.
Human beings must come before capital. Making a lot of money doesn’t matter if those bonds are completely broken. No one is more valuable than anyone else; it’s what each person contributes that leads to success.
2. Humility
This trait is closely related to the first point. Not even the leader should be above the rest: you have to give up authoritarianism and delegate responsibilities. It’s also essential to create a working spirit in which everyone feels comfortable and satisfied, which leads to greater inspiration and motivation.
Being humble also means getting involved in projects, being one more member of the team. Avoiding putting up barriers and always being there for any kind of question or problem, whether personal or work-related. The leader has to set an example for others; that way they’ll respect him more and follow in his footsteps.
3. Commitment
This is a point that should never be forgotten. When you say something, you have to keep your word. Not let it slide or try to fool others with false hopes. It’s also a reflection of business conviction, because an employee loses interest when they see that their leader changes their mind every five minutes or doesn’t do what they said.
Leaders can make mistakes; they’re not perfect. But when they settle on an idea, they see it through to the end because they’re convinced of what they think at that moment. They have their objectives in mind and believe strongly that they’ll achieve them.
4. Having a clear goal
In general, people don’t follow what the leader does, but why they do it. That’s why this kind of manager always has their ideas and goals fully worked out and very clear. As mentioned in the previous point, they can’t stray from that path every five minutes, showing doubt or a lack of confidence in themselves and in others. The vision must be completely clear so that the other members can see the spirit needed to go all the way.
When it comes to managing how the goal will be achieved, you have to study all the factors involved in full. What’s needed and how to do it. And be prepared in case some unexpected setback comes up.
5. Curiosity
This is a key trait because it allows you to keep evolving as a person and not get stuck in one profile. Having no drive to learn ends up leading to a comfort zone, a routine that limits the leader and, in the long run, affects both them and their team. Constant learning and innovation make it possible to reach levels that weren’t possible before. You can even develop new skills through dedication and effort once you’ve shown an interest in them.
Being curious also means having an open mind and not being closed off in your own ideals. This leads to listening to better advice and knowing how to accept other people’s opinions, being able to apply them to yourself. In the same way, you can copy skills that other people have and that make them better people. Keeping the best of each of them.
6. Knowing how to listen
A successful leader is always clear that they must surround themselves with the best possible team, but they also know at all times that they have to listen to that team. And this means facing things they may not like, such as a rejected proposal or an idea completely opposed to the one put forward. The days of saying yes to everything are long gone. And that’s not a bad thing: listening allows you to improve, to see other approaches to a strategy and to rely on people with different qualities.
Knowing how to listen also means being empathetic. It’s not a question of putting on a friendly face and pretending to care about people’s problems. You have to put yourself in other people’s shoes and help as much as you can.
7. Learning in depth
It’s already clear that successful leaders seek new knowledge and learn the best qualities of other people to enrich themselves professionally and personally. But this kind of learning has to be deep, that is, something that fulfils them emotionally and serves them for life.
There’s no point taking a short course with a handful of points that add nothing or are forgotten after a couple of weeks. That enrichment must add value: a better way of acting in all kinds of situations, a better understanding of the world around them and of the human beings in it. It takes a great deal of effort, but the result is worth it; you shouldn’t settle for the superficial.
8. They don’t fear failure
Success doesn’t come overnight, however much some people insist that it does. It’s true that there are a few cases, but the percentage is tiny; they’re exceptions. Most leaders had to experience failure before succeeding, but experiencing it didn’t mean they feared it. They faced it, because it’s in their nature: they don’t care if it comes, they’re going to keep moving forward with their ideas and goals.
What’s more, failure invites learning: finding out what was done wrong and trying again in a better way. You learn from your own mistakes, and a leader becomes a much better-prepared person.
By Alejandro García, an economist specialising in marketing and financial markets. He is passionate about the startup world and new technologies, and is currently the editor of Geekpunto.
See also: 29 traits of great leaders: the definitive guide to leadership
Featured image: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
