Qualities and behaviours of an outstanding leader

The paper “Qualities and Behaviour of an Outstanding Leader” is an inspiring example of a term paper on management. Leadership is a fundamental practice in the societal setting. Individuals, businesses, and organizations employ many different leadership qualities and behaviors to achieve diverse goals and objectives. In this respect, there are a number of qualities and behaviors exhibited by outstanding leaders. Integrity, responsibility, and accountability are critical to effective and efficient leadership (Winkler, 2009). An outstanding leader, therefore, exhibits a set of qualities and behaviors, all of which translate to successful, effective, and efficient leadership practices.
The integrity of an outstanding leader should not be questionable. An outstanding leader observes personal, social, and legal ethics (Lussier & Achua, 2009). This leader also promotes justice and fairness. What this means is that an effective and efficient leader conforms not only to the social norms, but also to the legal provisions that govern, monitor, and control the leadership position he/she holds. Moreover, integrity comes with responsibility. An outstanding leader is committed to his/her duties and responsibly executes leadership mandate without jeopardy.
Accountability is a crucial factor as far successful leadership is concerned. Successful leadership is defined by effective and efficient practices, aspects that subsequently reflect the face of an outstanding leader. Such a leader is accountable to his/her decisions, actions, and leadership style. The manner in which such a leader interacts and relates with people is also important. The mode of interaction and/or relation employed should foster coherence in leadership and result in positive outcomes that benefit all people indiscriminately.
In the context of leader-follower interaction and/or relation, an outstanding leader is a strong communicator (Gill, 2011). Communication is a key pillar of successful leadership. A strong communicator understands the most appropriate way of interacting with the audience. In communicating, the leader should be good at both speaking and listening. A leader who speaks but fails to listen is not an outstanding leader. Speaking and listening are equally important as far as strong communication is concerned. On the same note, it vital for a leader to consider what is being communicated and the channels used to relay messages or information.
Support and appreciation are two concepts that an outstanding leader should capture. Outstanding leaders are supportive of the people they lead (Kuckartz, 2010). Moreover, these leaders show appreciation to their followers and all the stakeholders involved in leadership practices. Such leaders acknowledge people’s strengths and encourage them to build their strengths even more. Over and above being supportive, an outstanding leader nurtures all people for improved results because he/she is open-minded, trustworthy, and reliable professional.
Personally, leadership qualities and/or behaviors that I would like to have included, but are not limited to: strong communication, trustworthy, open-minded, and supportive. Trust in leadership encompasses integrity, responsibility, and accountability. In this respect, trust is a key factor in outstanding leadership. Being open-minded is fundamental because it makes a leader think outside the box. Moreover, support to people calls for transformational leadership that further requires strong communication skills. At a personal level, the outlined qualities and behaviors define an outstanding leader.