These days, knowing what makes a good team leader is very important. There is a higher demand for people with effective leadership traits.

But not all leaders are born that way. Many of them have had to work at themselves before they became shining examples of leadership.

If you want to know what makes a good team leader, read on!

Leadership Trait # 1: Being a Good Follower

A good team leader is a good follower. After all, how can your team look up to you if you yourself don’t have any respect for the authority? You’re supposed to be the prime example of how a person should behave.

Besides, there are certain disciplines that come with being a good follower. For example, a manager who has gone through the hardships of serving coffee at a popular coffee ship will be able to immediately pinpoint his team’s weakness (if any) and how the overall operation can be improved, as opposed to someone who has never even made coffee.

Knowing what your followers are going through makes you all the more effective as a team leader.

Leadership Trait # 2: Being Self-Motivated

What makes a good team leader is self-motivation. Nobody’s going to mollycoddle when your team starts operation. Nobody’s going to be there to hold your hand and uplift your spirits.

That’s your job! You’re the one who always needs to be motivated so that you, in turn, can motivate your team.

Leadership Trait # 3: Being a Good Communicator

Good communication makes a good team leader. It’s a two-way street. You have to know how to give out orders clearly and efficiently. Should you fail to do this, your operation will most likely end up half-baked. And who do you think will be responsible for that?

On the other hand, you also have to know how to listen well. Your team might have ideas that are worth listening to. Or they might have something important to say. Being a good listener enables you to understand where each member of your team is coming from and how they think.

Knowing what makes a good team leader is just the first step. Applying these principles into your everyday life is another. There are times when being a good leader can be trying. But that’s all part of the process.

Leaders don’t live like kings because they’re too busy making sure that their team is operating like a well-oiled machine. However, effective leaders are also greatly rewarded for all their hard work.