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Leadership qualities are often thought of as being god-given; the concept of the "natural-born leader" suggests that most of us are born without what it takes to lead and that leadership roles are the domain of the chosen few. But while it may be true that some people have more of a natural affinity with leadership, there is nothing to say that the rest of us cannot learn and develop the skills that it takes.

Check out this gallery to find out how to be a good leader.

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If you are at the top of your company, you probably have a vision about where the company is headed. But that is no use unless the people working for you also have the same vision.

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If people are not on board with the company vision, they will feel less enthusiastic about their work. Invest time in making sure, without forcing it, that your people understand the vision.

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As the person in charge, it is easy to imagine that everyone below you works for you. However, it is much more helpful and productive to see things the other way around.

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Rather than seeing your employees as delegation targets, think of yourself as being there to make sure everyone else does their job properly. Always be ready to listen and provide feedback.

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It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that all employees think the same and are driven by the same things. In reality, of course, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

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You will get a much better response from employees if you realize that everyone is different and different people require different levels of support for different tasks.

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Great leaders do not throw a fit when something goes wrong. Instead, they remember that things happen, and they try to find ways to prevent the same thing from happening again.

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At the same time, leaders celebrate wins. Be sure to congratulate your team when something goes well, as well as support them when times are tougher.

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It is impossible to overstress the importance of this one. Your employees will not do their best work unless they feel that their work, skillset, and other attributes are valued.

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Invest time in making your people feel like they are important, allow them the space to invest in themselves, and encourage them in their professional development.

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Good leaders are the first to realize that they don’t need to be the smartest person in the room. In fact, they embrace just the opposite.

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If you want to be a great leader, take a bite of humble pie and surround yourself with experts who know more than you. Don’t be surprised when they challenge you on things.

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It is, of course, important to celebrate wins and be a cheerleader. However, try not to be driven by the thought of receiving praise yourself.

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The best leaders are not motivated by the thought of getting credit, but rather by achieving key outcomes. Focusing on outcomes will help you cut out noise and make progress.

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It is important to focus on outcomes, but not to the detriment of your ethics. Always try to avoid compromising your principles in favor of a particular outcome.

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Of course, this may mean that sometimes the path to success is more complex. However, a short-term struggle is worth it to achieve long-term, ethical results.

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It can be tempting as a leader not to show any weakness, but in fact there is great strength in admitting your faults, as difficult as it might be!

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Being ready to show your employees that you are not perfect and not hiding from that fact will make you more relatable and improve your relationship with them.

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We have talked about celebrating team successes, but great leaders also celebrate the success of individuals around them, including those who may come up and take their job.

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Recognizing up-and-coming leaders is hugely important, since all companies need a succession plan. Help bring up the next generation by engaging with and encouraging them.

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Accepting that you’re not perfect and that you don’t know everything is a great quality in a leader. Realizing that there are always areas for improvement will take you a long way.

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Be sure to recognize weaknesses, and when you have an opportunity to learn something valuable, listen. Never rest on your laurels–you can always do better.

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Great leaders never say no to a new idea just because they think it might fail. Of course, doing things differently is scary and involves risk, but it’s a must if you want to move forward.

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Next time you're faced with a new idea, don’t shy away from it. Take an innovative approach and encourage those around you to do the same.

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On a related point, it is important to have the right attitude towards failure. It is easy to bury your head in the sand when things do not go the way you had hoped.

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However, good leaders will always use failure as an opportunity to learn. As painful as it may be, always take time to conduct a thorough post-mortem and learn what you can before moving on.

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Leaders tend to spend a lot of time putting out fires and this is necessary, it’s true. However, great leaders always keep one eye on the future at the same time.

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As well as reacting to the here and now, try to think what might happen tomorrow, next month, and in a year’s time. Thinking long term is the hallmark of a good leader.

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This one perhaps goes without saying, but think about the way in which you communicate. The best way to communicate as a leader is regularly and respectfully.

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Always try to be as clear as possible; if things are unclear, people will not give their best effort. A collaborative communication method is a great idea–emphasize that you’re in it as a team.

Sources: (Forbes)