Leadership is more than a buzzword. Think about all the people who you consider to be great leaders. What traits do they have in common? Although they may seem like very different people, chances are they have a lot in common. Especially in how they lead and inspire people. Leadership can be many things. It’s one of those things that you know the good leader when you see him or her in action.

On the flip side, you know a bad leader when you see it as well. So it makes a good leader, or a bad leader? How can you develop the traits of a good leader and avoid the traits of a bad leader? In this week’s blog, we are going to delve into the true meaning of leadership and the traits of great leaders. We’re also going to dive into the traits of bad leaders so that you can avoid those characteristics and continue to inspire your team. So let’s get into it.

What a leader is….and isn’t 

Before we get into the traits of a good leader let’s go over the traits of a bad leader. It’s often easier to go over these traits first. Often many of us are drawn to social selling because we had a regular 9-to-5 office job that we hated. In many cases, it boiled down to having a boss that we just did not drive with. How many of us have had bosses or upper-level leadership within the companies we worked for that were just terrible? I’m sure many of you are thinking about those leaders right now. But what made them so bad? Were there traits that they had in common?

True leadership is NOT

Let’s get into what leadership is not. Leadership is not selfish or self-serving. We’ve all had those bosses, or you know someone who’s had a super selfish boss. The only person they’re thinking about is themselves. They get mad when something isn’t done a particular way because it makes them look bad. In reality, it could be that they never showed anyone how to do something, especially to their specifications. They only lead to making themselves look better in the eyes of their superiors. 

Many bad leaders are driven by power. They may want to gain more power within the company or gain more power over their employees. Many of these leaders are more concerned with having power than they are with serving the people they lead. As a result, they lead through coercion and try to control the thoughts and actions of their employees. Additionally, they may demean others to gain more power or get their way. And, they have no respect for anyone else’s time but their own.

Does it sound like any bosses you’ve had? Or maybe it sounds like a boss that your spouse or loved one has had in the past. Regardless, many of us will have a visceral reaction when we learn more about the traits of a bad leader. Many of us, when we hear these traits, will picture that leader in our heads. On the positive side, having a mental image to go with these traits will help you avoid them in your leadership practice. If you become tempted to lead through coercion or control or find yourself thinking more about gaining power instead of serving, then picture that person in your head.

None of these traits encourage people to feel fulfilled and inspired when in the presence of their leader. People may feel demoralized and frustrated when they have a bad leader. They may begin looking for other jobs where they know that they will be appreciated and supported. Bad leaders can decimate a company. At a time when it’s easier than ever to share things on social media, having a selfish leader can negatively impact a business. Since network marketing is all about social selling, bad leadership can prevent the best people from realizing their potential.

So, what makes a good leader?

Now that we’ve talked about what a leader isn’t, let’s talk about what a good leader is. A good leader is somebody who inspires people through their words, thoughts, and actions. Instead of bringing people down, they lift people. Especially when they notice someone is having a hard time.

True leaders lift them and remind them of their positive attributes. Good leaders serve the people they lead, providing support and encouragement when they need it the most. Sure they want to look good, however, it’s never to the detriment of others. They focus on creating positive relationships with everyone they lead. They don’t act selfishly and are always looking for ways to help Inspire others. The most important trait, however, that all leaders share is that they lead with heart. They have a heart-forward style of leadership in which everyone they lead thrives. If you want to be a better leader, you have to cultivate your heart set.

How to cultivate your heart set

To get in the leadership heart set, a leader must develop three essential traits. The good news is these traits are universal. You can use them in your network marketing business and you can even use them at home or in your volunteer work.

The first trait is to develop a heart that serves. That is, you put the needs of others before your own. Remember that bad leaders are selfish and self-centered. They only focus on their needs and how other people can serve those needs. True leaders focus on the needs of others, particularly those that they serve. They understand that if their teams have everything that they need then they’re able to work more effectively and efficiently toward a common goal. So, in order to help them reach that goal, true leaders focus on service.

The second trait is to develop a heart that helps. That means focusing on making life better for other people. Again, this means approving the lives of those on your team. However, it also means improving the lives of those around you. As a leader, it is your responsibility to inspire those around you and help them achieve their potential. Being a leader isn’t something that you can clock out of. You can’t just clock out at 5:00 and be done with it.

True leaders are leaders in all areas of their lives, whether it’s at home, in the community, or in their daily lives. They don’t switch it off during their off hours. This is because they’ve developed the leadership habits and skills that bleed into other parts of their lives. For them, leadership has become a habit and part of that habit is looking for ways to help improve the lives of others.

On the surface, this sounds exhausting. Leaders are always on the clock, so to speak. Don’t they ever get a break? The truth is when you’ve developed the skills of a good leader, you don’t need to take a break. It becomes part of who you are. It becomes part of your personality, your mental DNA. That brings us to the third trait, which is that leaders have a heart that loves. Now this may sound obvious. We all have the capacity to love and there are things that we love in our lives.

What separates the leaders from everyone else is that they understand that love is more than an emotion. Love is in our intentional decisions and actions. Love is more than something you say or feel, it is in the decisions and actions that you make every day. Leaders serve with love. They help others because of the love they have for them, not out of obligation or because they think it’ll make them look good in the eyes of others. Additionally, they don’t help other people in order to gain power. They don’t care about gaining power or doing something with the prime attention of meeting their own selfish needs. And, they help others because they have a love for them and want to inspire them to realize their full potential. It’s in helping others that they grow to become better leaders and inspire people to lead as well.

Let Teamzy help you develop your leadership skills

Teamzy is more than a CRM, think of it as a mini university. We have developed training programs to help social sellers and leaders improve their skills and Inspire their teams. Let us help you become a better leader. Click here to learn more.