What traits make a good leader? We uncover a few…

Trying to find the perfect candidate to lead a health and social care organisation can be a long and laborious process. Top this off with recent scandals within the sector, and employers will know all to well that replacing senior executives who have suffered such intense media scrutiny can be very difficult. However, there are those who are willing to take a risk and help organisations “get out of their rut” so to speak.

These people often come with many admirable and valuable traits when it comes to any business, let along just the health and social care sector. So, what are these qualities and why do they help organisations achieve success?

Vision

Leaders know their organisation inside out, and understand the core values of the company. This allows them to have a clear vision of where the business should aim to grow, what needs to change and so on. According to ReliablePlant.com, this is a skill that can be learned; proving that career progression from a frontline care worker to a senior executive is possible. In order to be a great leader, those in power must stick to one vision, regardless of what obstacles may arise, and provide their employees with the image of success.

Commitment to the job

Employees want to be led by someone who is committed to their work. That being said, they also want to see their superiors doing work alongside them. In order to create the best results for your business, a leader must motivate and drive their workforce, showing them how it’s done.

Honesty

As the saying goes, “Honesty is the best policy”. In order to promote a healthy and well-rounded workforce, employees must know that they are being led by an honest superior. In a study conducted in 2014 by the Pew Research Centre, the results revealed that 84% of the 1,835 respondents, “considered honesty the most essential personality trait for any leader”. Not only does honesty inspire employees, but it also helps to develop effective relationships between senior executives and frontline staff.

Intuition

Although it is crucial that senior executives are logical and make informed decisions based on facts, effective leaders must also accept that they must follow their intuition to a degree. According to the Huffington Post, intuition is the new “buzz word” in the world of business, and “everyone from Branson to Buffet are touting its ability to guide and direct them to greater success and higher profits”. Richard Branson, famously known as the founder of Virgin, is one of the world’s most effective leaders; therefore intuition must be one of the keys to his success.

Impeccable communication

Following on from our point on intuition, the Huffington Post also claims that,“Intuition is the natural intelligence that allows us to see ahead of the curve, to generate innovative ideas, to communicate powerfully and to do so without having to study spreadsheets or gather piles of data.”

It makes perfect sense – in order to convey the appropriate messages and business vision to your workforce, a leader must be an excellent communicator. Many businesses and organisations, including those in the health and social care sector, have suffered over the years from miscommunication and a sense of a silo mentality. By senior executives leading the way and demonstrating that communication is a key to success, it will enhance productivity and allow the business to grow as a whole.

We understand that there are plenty of additional wanted qualities in leaders, however we believe that the five mentioned above are merits that cannot be overlooked when employing a new senior executive. Do you possess all of these characteristics? You could be suitable for one of our available job roles. Get in touch here so Carter Schwartz can help you progress to the next level of your career.