Leadership Qualities

If you read an article about leadership qualities, the list would include things like honesty, humility, and good communication skills. Which is essentially what makes a good leader.

But there are also other qualities you should hone if you’re interested in going all the way to the top, according to prominent leaders themselves. Starting with our very own two-time Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed. As reported by FMT last month, Tun M believes that good leaders will put aside their ego and correct his wrongs if it’s in the best interest of those he leads.

“Some are of the opinion that ego can be positive as it drives you to be competitive. That to me is more likely to be determination. Ego is about yourself and not those you lead,” the 93-year-old said in a dialogue with the youth in April.

The PM also stressed the importance of learning saying that, “The more you read, the more you realise that there is so much more to read and learn.”

The statement above echoes a similar quote from another great leader John F. Kennedy: “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”

A couple of years back, Michelle Obama, at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference, spoke about leadership and how to be a great one.The Obama family spent eight years in the White House and kept their names out of the tabloid papers, clear of any major scandal. Michelle credits this to the values her husband holds.

“You have to surround yourself with people who reflect your values. But then you have to know what those values are and be honest with yourself about whether you're living those values. Sometimes we don’t. Sometimes we talk a good game, but what we show to the world is something different,” the former First Lady explained.

In 2018, Apple became the first US company to be worth USD$1 trillion led by Tim Cook, CEO of Apple Inc. since 2011. Cook was a strong believer in diversity saying that Apple is at the forefront of innovation, and building the future in their favour will require different minded and unique individuals.

“We want diversity of thought. We want diversity of style. We want people to be themselves.” Cook explained in a 2012 interview with Businessweek. The Apple CEO is a strong believer in the power of diversity as he also believes that the US will lose its leadership in technology if women are not hired.

What do you think are essential qualities required to be a leader? Tell us by dropping an email to [email protected].

Photo by Perry Grone on Unsplash