5 Qualities of a Natural Leader

Some people are Natural Leaders, which gives them an advantage in the business world. Being 'naturally talented/gifted' is talked about a lot in music, sport, art etc. Today I want to explore what qualities make a 'Natural Leader.' Let's dive in.

Through personal development such as reading leadership books, having a leadership mentor/coach and attending leadership development workshops, you can find tools that will help you grow and become a great leader. I'm sure that we would all agree that leadership skills can be developed in everyone. Leadership starts with leading yourself and flows on from there. What I want to examine in this article are 5 qualities that are innate and natural in leaders. These qualities give leaders an unfair advantage or edge. You will notice that some or all of these qualities are evident in yourself. I encourage you to ask yourself if you feel/think they are innate and natural to you or if they are more evident in you because you have worked to nurture or develop them.

5 Qualities of a Natural Leader

Here are some of the qualities that can be found in a Natural Leader (specifically in corporate leadership):

1) Daring, Even in the Face of Failure

Natural Leaders have an attitude of resilience. They go first and they are willing to get dirty as they confidently lead by example. The Natural Leader has the ability to brush themselves off after they fall down. They are daring and they courageously push the limits with the hope and vision that they will succeed even in the face of failure. They believe failure is actually an underestimated tool for success because it can be the perfect motivator to keep working towards their goal. They are not afraid of making mistakes because they are learning experiences.

One tip for developing the quality of being daring, even in the face of failure: You are always going to be faced with failure as a leader and your business will only flourish if you are daring enough to go on anyways, and adjust afterward if your original plan does not work. You cannot let rejection and failures keep you down; otherwise, you are setting yourself and your organization up for failure in the long run. It can be very easy to let failure prevent you from taking risks, and these risks are what make people achieve great things.

2) A Liberal Giver

Natural Leaders have a view of abundance and they see the advantage of giving of themselves and in contributing to worthwhile causes. What is great about givers is that they have this unique ability to bring out the best traits in the people around them. The Natural Leader sees the true potential of their staff and they give of their time, talent, energy and resources to build them up. They give of themselves freely and in doing so they encourage their teams to become their best.

One tip for developing the quality of being a liberal giver: As a giver, you will also end up being a good role model. As you likely already know, to be a great leader, you need to be a great role model for your staff. You have the power to get your team to contribute ideas which is important for increasing the creativity and innovation in your organization. Be generous with your time, energy and talents with your team members and see where it takes you.

3) Clarity on What is Important

A Natural Leader is someone who knows what is important in their personal and professional life. They are an inspiration to their team and others because they know what they want and what their purpose is. They have a clear reason for why they do what they do and they are able to withstand the temptation to stray from the aligned path that they know they should be on. It is also important for leaders to clearly convey the values and purpose of the organisation. Values and purpose are what give your company soul, and will help it thrive in hard times.

One tip to develop clarity on what is important: Gain more clarity on your personal values and purpose and inspire your team to do the same. Journal about what matters the most to you. When you have more clarity the next step is to align your actions with your values and purpose. Reach out if you want more resources for this.

4) Patience

A Natural Leader has patience for the plan to unfold and they can see the end goal even through the pits and valleys. The Natural Leader has an innate ability to trust the process and systems (adjusting where needed) and not get stressed when the return on investment is not seen right away. They are patient and stoic at times and they realise that when they are stressed they will make irrational decisions.

One tip for developing Patience: This may seem like a simple quality to have, but do not underestimate how patience can help you become a better leader. You are not going to always succeed as soon as you blink. If you find that you are starting to feel overwhelmed, you should remember to take a step back and just breathe before making any decision.

5) Creates a Work Culture for Success

Natural Leaders create a work culture for success where they lead by example. They create this culture with skill and ease. The culture starts with them and filters down. In this type of work culture, everyone has a voice and can help collaborate. The Natural Leader instills a workplace culture where vulnerability, trust, approachability and great communication is nurtured. Tools for communication, performance, project management etc are used with efficiency and excellence.

One tip for developing the quality of creating a work culture for success: People are more willing to work for someone who is approachable, emotionally intelligent and who will listen to opinions and even welcome them without criticism or shutting the ideas down without really hearing them. Have an open mind and be flexible. Things are not always going to go as planned and it is important to be flexible and change as needed. Being open and having an attitude to collaborate will help you come up with innovative solutions that will help your company succeed.

Some Other qualities of a Natural Leader

• Empathy
• Self Care
• Pursuit of Excellence
• Great at Managing Conflict
• They Inspire Through Action
• ...

Which of these 5 qualities do you feel/think are innate and natural to you? Which of these qualities is evident in you because you have worked to develop it? Which of the above qualities is evident in you because you have worked to develop it?

Please post your comments below and please share what you agree or disagree with. This is by no means an exhaustive list so please share other qualities that you feel are in Natural Leaders. #leadership #culture #inspiration #teambuilding