Leadership Traits

Below are the 14 Traits of Leadership. Each has an important part of being a Leader.

Justice- Having a Just behavior or treatment of others, no matter the rank/person.

Judgment- The ability to make considered decisions or come to sensible conclusions.

Dependability- The quality of being able to be counted on or relied upon.

Integrity- The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

Decisiveness- Having the power or quality of deciding.

Tact- Adroitness and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues.

Initiative- The opportunity to act or take charge before others do.

Endurance- The fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.

Bearing- A person’s way of standing or moving.

Unselfishness- The quality of not putting yourself first but being willing to give your time or effort for others.

Courage- Strength in the face of pain or grief.

Knowledge- Facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education.

Loyalty- Faithful and enthusiastic devotion to one’s country, organization and associates.

Enthusiasm- Intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.

Below are the 11 Principles of Leadership. They help every leader in their journey and are taught to all Military Personnel during training.

1. Know Yourself, and Seek Improvement - Understanding who you are will help you in which direction is best suited for you. Are you a very thorough and perfectionist, or more laid back when assigning and reviewing tasks? Constantly seek to improve all attributes of yourself to help strengthen your leadership and character.

2. Be Technically Proficient - Being laid back is one thing, being lazy is another. Be sure the job is done proficiently, whether by yourself or by others you've assigned it to.

3. Seek Responsibility, and Take Responsibility for your Actions - A Leader is constantly on the watch for work that is needed to be done. Search for ways to improve your organization. When things go wrong - and they will eventually - don't lose focus. Take Initiative, admit to your mistake and immediately take to correcting it. No One is wrong for making a mistake, but they are if they do nothing of it.

4. Make Sound and Timely Decisions - Don't rush to fix situations, it may only make it worse. Calculate an approach, and use problem solving methods to create a solution beneficial to everyone.

5. Set the Example - A Leader is only as good as their followers deem them. Prove yourself to them, by refusing to slack and setting a good example for others to follow. A Strong Leader doesn't create followers, they create more Leaders.

6. Know your People, and look out for their well-being - Get to know your followers, and be sure to have a good knowledge of their being. This will not only help in making decisions, but in creating enthusiasm. You're their Leader, but you're also their friend.

7. Keep your Workers Informed - Communication is key in any relationship, including Leader to Follower. Don't leave them in the dark, and have them kept up to date in any upcoming tasks, events, or problems that need solving.

8. Develop a sense of Responsibility in your Workers - Act as a teacher, and help your workers develop good traits to improve themselves. Push them to be better, but remember Principle #6. Pushing to be better is one thing, forcing them to improve is another.

9. Ensure tasks are Understood, Supervised, and Accomplished - Make sure your workers know what their doing, and be sure they do it.

10. Train as a Team - Give your Workers enthusiasm. Work Together, Improve Each Other, Have Fun with one another. A Team isn't born, it's made through failure, success, and progress, together.

11. Use the full Capabilities of your Organization - Developing a Team Spirit can help your organization push to its fullest potential. You never know what you're truly capable of.