What Makes A Great Leader

What makes a great leader? Being a great leader is no simple task, as leaders must present great perseverance, vision, and integrity all while working under the pressures of successfully managing a company. However, all great leaders possess one common trait; and that trait is empathy. The ability to connect with employees on a human level and understand the complexities and difficulties that come with managing life and a career. The human connection, the unspoken bond within each of us based on our shared emotions and experiences, is the single most important component in successfully running a company.

A great leader is one who makes sure their employees feel understood and appreciated, one who can maintain an efficient and disciplined staff while also remaining flexible enough to accommodate for the needs of each individual. While a business may often feel like a singular entity, one must remember that businesses are driven by people; individuals each with their own goals and aspirations. Through ensuring that each individual employee feels heard and valued, a great leader makes the workplace a positive environment in which morale is high and work is done efficiently. A leader must understand that employees will inevitably have bad days and experience difficult circumstances, and it is the leader’s responsibility to be aware of these issues and address them without sacrificing productivity. A simple check-in, conversation, or note can go a long way in making each employee feel recognized. Additionally, team bonding activities, organized recreation, and group travel can connect members of a company, and emphasize that their work is more than just a source of income. Employees within a company that emphasizes the human connection will be happier, more motivated, and successful; and all of these factors are a result of the culture established by an empathetic leader.

Although a great leader must possess many important qualities to be successful, empathy is of the utmost importance in successfully managing a business. Businesses are run by humans, and the human connection is a driving force of the success of each individual, and the success of the business as a whole. As a result, a great leader must ensure that each employee feels comfortable and understood, so that they may enter a positive work environment every day and help drive the company to success through humanity.