Bloganuary writing prompt

What makes a good leader?

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We all have had or seen a terrible leader. We know that kind. They take credit for things you have done, diminish your accomplishments, or yell at you, among others.

Maybe I’m lucky, but I have been fortunate enough to have excellent leaders in different jobs. What did they have in common?

1. They were nice people. People can be a mean boss and even have some sort of success. However, those people “rule” others using fear, and unsurprisingly, people around them tend to hate them. So, no. They might be successful but not good leaders.
2. They valued learning and growth. We all need time to learn, and bosses often forget that providing time for their employees to learn can pay off in the future. I have improved so much by learning new Google Sheets tips and tricks that I’m just sorry for my former bosses who didn’t give me time to learn those before.
3. They knew how to provide feedback. Leaders cannot focus only on the positive; they need to recognize and address the negative things that affect their and their team’s productivity. However, a good leader can tell you how you messed up while keeping it professional. It’s easy to get upset and mistreat others, but good leaders keep their minds cool while sharing negative feedback.
4. They share positive feedback and are thankful. I remember having team meetings where my former boss would highlight the good comments we had received and congratulate us.

Having a good leader in your life is inspiring. It renovates your faith in humanity, especially if you have had an awful boss before, so… if you are a boss yourself, try to be that good leader that people look up to.

Now, tell me a bit about you. How do you recognize a good leader?