Famous Business Leaders

When it comes to building strong leadership skills, there is no better place to turn for an example of success than some of the world’s most famous business leaders. Famous leaders such as Warren Buffet, Richard Branson and Bill Gates not only have successful companies behind their names, but they are also some of the most accomplished business leaders in the world today. While all of these leaders may have different approaches to how they lead, their success all boils down to a few different qualities.

Qualities of a Strong Leader

No matter what their leadership style may be, there are a number of qualities that all great leaders tend to have in common.

Honesty

When it comes to being the leader of a team, it is important to remember honesty and ethics. Honesty is essential for forming trust and open communications on any team. No matter what ethical standards you hold yourself to, you need to increase those standards when you are a leader. Your business and your team members are a reflection of who you are, so you need to create an environment of honesty within your office so that all of your team members abide by the same ethical code.

Delegation Skills

The best leaders are the not ones who try to do everything themselves. The best leaders are the ones that know when and how to delegate. This is tied to trust. If you are able to delegate the right tasks to your team members it fosters a sense of trust between all of you that makes it much easier to work together.

Confidence

Being in a leadership position requires a great deal of confidence. Leaders not only have to stand in front of others and make difficult decisions, but they also need to have the confidence to handle criticism. Confidence also means having courage. Starbucks founder Howard Schultz exemplifies this courage in his leadership style, drawing upon his humble beginnings in the Bronx and what it took to get his piece of the American Dream.

Strong Communication Skills

All great business leaders have strong communication skills. It is impossible to deliver a clear message about your vision without strong communication skills. If you are not able to take the thoughts that you have and transform them into clear instructions, you will never be able to effectively lead your team.

Leading By Example

One of the best ways to be an effective leader is to lead by example, or act in a way you would want your employees to act. Take a look at Rupert Murdoch of News Corporation. This hardworking self-made man is far beyond retirement age, yet continues to work day after day in his position. His approach to leading by example is showing his employees that being in the thick of things and working hard every day is the key to success in their line of work.

Leading by example may seem like a lot of pressure, but it is important to remember that your employees are always watching you for cues and looking to how you act in order to see how they should act. With this in mind, remember to always conduct yourself and work in a manner that you think would be acceptable for all of your team members to act like.

What Makes a Strong Leader

There is a difference between a leader and a strong leader. Look at one of the world’s most famous business leaders: Steve Jobs. During his time with Apple, Jobs was not afraid to think outside the box and make unpopular decisions. He did things his own way, and while it was different than what others expected, it lead to Apple becoming the innovative company it is known as today.
This willingness to think differently is one of the cornerstones of strong leadership. Strong leaders need to be assertive and willing to do what they think is right and they also need to have the strength to handle defeat and ridicule as well. Strong leaders are the individuals that are not afraid of taking responsibility when an entire team fails. They are the ones who know that not every individual and company respond to the same leadership style.

The world’s most famous business leaders can often teach us a great deal about how to approach different leadership challenges. By looking at who these leaders are, what their tactics are and what makes them strong, any leader or aspiring leader in any field can start improving their own skills.