What characteristics make a leader? Do you understand what it takes to be successful? Leaders need to be open, humble and honest. You may learn things here you have never tried before.

Communicate the company’s vision. You need to find a way to incorporate your values and your mission into your daily tasks. Present your vision, but be sure to let your employees know how they can each contribute to achieving it. It’s a fantastic way to give people direction and build up a relationship with them too.

Honesty is a very important virtue of becoming a great leader. Effective leadership requires trust. No matter what you do, make it a goal to be honest and trustworthy. It is only when people are positive that they can trust you that they will look up to you as a real leader.

You don’t want to ever think that your team members are able to know what you’re thinking. Clearly communicate what you expect in all aspects of the job and let your employees know they are free to come to you if they have any questions. This way your staff will not hesitate to ask questions if they do not understand any of your expectations.

All good leaders look towards the future and focus on it. You must look ahead to see what’s coming and plan accordingly. Of course, you can’t always predict the future, but you can get pretty good at it. Keep asking yourself where you’re expecting to be in a year or so and then start planning to make it happen.

When you’re working on leading effectively, you have to keep your morals in mind. Only make decisions you can live with. If you think that a decision will upset you, avoid going down that path. While others may sink to lower levels than you, you don’t have to follow their lead.

If you lead, or manage, a group of people, let them know how much you appreciate them. It takes little time to write a note saying “thank you” or “good job” and it may mean quite a bit to a person that’s worked hard the whole day. Their day will be brightened and their mood lifted; and, it’s free!

All good leaders must be focused on the future. You need this foresight so that you can make smart decisions now for the future. Obviously you can’t know everything that will happen in the future, but it is crucial that you are prepared. Continually ask yourself where you want to be in six months or a year, and then plan for that outcome.

Utilize the advice that has been provided to you so that you are striving to improve your leadership qualities. Your potential is huge when you continue to learn. Know that this is the case and move ahead with confidence.