by Todd Pheifer

Created on: April 09, 2009

The idea of a leader is definitively complex, and it has spawning many a book, seminar, and opinion on the subject. Some will argue that leadership is an innate quality, while other suggest that certain leadership traits can be taught through education and organizational situations. In addition, there is always the aspect of experience, which can create a more defined leader who has survived "trials by fire" and learned to apply knowledge to more complex environments. There are different types of leaders and each one has a unique combination of skills, abilities, and talents that fit their respective organization. While these are not all agreed upon by various "experts", there are certain things that are sometimes standard in leadership. Therefore, here are a few qualities that define a leader.

You just know

Sometimes the people that are the most effective leaders are the ones that do not need to tell everyone that they are in charge. Their title is obvious, but they do not define themselves by their position in the hierarchy. Because of their effectiveness, people will follow them out of respect. If a person has to remind people that they are the supervisor or manager, then chances are there is a problem with the team. This doesn't mean that leaders are necessarily arrogant or iron-fisted. Rather, they usually get performances from people without having to ask.

Vision and execution

The effective leader is often someone who contributes a unique combination of "big picture" and day-to-day operations. Sometimes people are great at casting a long-term vision, but they struggle with the details. Other people are good project people and can handle the logistics, but they struggle with inspiring people to think beyond the owner's manual. A leader is someone who can combine the two, by getting people excited about new ideas while at the same time helping them walk through the steps of making those ideas happen in the real world.

Position and personality

Finally, the effective leader is the person who can go beyond their title and become a person that people like and respect as an individual. Sometimes people respect an organizational person, but their respect is restricted to a business setting. In certain situations, a leader is defined as someone who is admired as a human being as well as a organizational supervisor. Sometimes these are the types of leaders that can transcend various industries and effectively lead different organizations to present and future success.

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