4 Important Keys to Being a Powerful Business Leader

Leadership is one of the most critically important roles and skills in business. But it’s also somewhat difficult to define exactly what makes a good, powerful business leader. Fortunately, there are some generally agreed-upon traits, so this guide will go over four important keys to being a powerful business leader.

1. Confidence

The first and most important thing to develop in order to be a powerful and successful business leader is confidence. Without it, you are unlikely to garner support for your ideas, and you might get taken advantage of during negotiations or fail to instill confidence in your employees. Develop confidence by:

• being prepared,
• making lists of things you like about yourself,
• realistically recognizing your strengths and your weaknesses,
• focusing on positive thinking
• acting kindly towards others.

A quality education, no matter what the degree or certification, can boost confidence through knowledge.

2. Body Language and Posture

You’ve likely heard of power poses and the intricate way body language and posture play a role in how humans interact. But did you know that simply learning the right poses isn’t enough? If you’re focusing on just one or two aspects of your body language, you’ll likely come across as stiff and unnatural, to say nothing of how you’ll sound. While it’s important to be aware of your body and the kind of signals it’s giving off, confidence and assuredness are the best remedies for making your body language natural and commanding.

3. Foster Loyalty

Powerful business leaders have to be just that: leaders. They have to inspire people to follow them, work with them and get on board with their ideas. The best way to create loyal employees is to treat them like people, take an interest in them, listen to their ideas and their concerns, and look out for them. They will repay your own personal interest in their careers with good work and loyalty.

4. Creativity

The best business leaders have to be creative on some level in order to innovate and come up with unique solutions to problems. Without a unique idea or a product to sell, you’re not going to get very far in business to begin with. When things go wrong, which they eventually will, you will also need to be able to analyze the situation and come up with creative solutions.

Powerful business leaders are creative, decisive, likable and confident. They have to be able to weigh all sides of an issue and make a decision on it in a timely manner. They also have to engender loyalty from their employees and be aware of appearances at all times. Develop these characteristics and put them into practice to become a better business leader.

Author: Dixie Somers is a freelance writer and blogger for business, home, and family niches. Dixie lives in Phoenix, Arizona, and is the proud mother of three beautiful girls and wife to a wonderful husband.