What makes you a good worker doesn't necessarily make you a good leader. Sometimes the characteristics that are bred from previous successes are detrimental to leadership. Anyone who has worked in an organization that promotes based on seniority and not on fit will understand this sentiment. There are many personalities in the workplace and being a hard working subject matter expert does not always equate to being a good captain. For this reason, I thought it would be helpful to list some habits every great coach should have:

Avoid self-aggrandizing - A team does not exist to feed your ego. A good leader does not need to chime in all the time about their personal achievements or to add addendums to everybody's suggestions. It is important to cultivate success from others and to create an environment that promotes initiative and gives others opportunity in the limelight. Another flaw from having high ego is the desire to hoard undue credit. This type of behavior breeds resentment and subversion.

Solicit advice, not criticism - Negative energy always chips away at team spirit. One way to keep evolving while avoiding animosity is to always form responses as advice. It may be easy to dismiss the input and goodwill of others by saying "That won't work" but instead think about what you can do to improve on the idea or improve on the thought process. This also includes looking for feedback on your own personal performance as a leader.

Recognize success - This is a quite an easy action that many forget to do or underestimate the importance of. Simple forms of gratitude and accolades such as recognition in newsletters, verbal announcements, or small reward programs help fuel further success. This shows that good work does not go unnoticed and that you and the organization value initiative and participation. Remember to celebrate the small successes as well as the big ones.

Admit to failure - A good leader is fallible. Everybody makes mistakes. The first step to improvement is to recognize missteps when they occur and to be able to take blame. Similarly, a good leader should encourage contradictory opinions and open challenges. Having alternate perspective helps open up other avenues of thought and may lead to better solutions.

Goal oriented tunnel vision - Being too focused on the end game can break down teamwork. High functioning teams communicate and work together. A good leader fosters the right environment to support growth and development. These are the skills that will ultimately lead to success. Being too narrow-minded about goals adds unneeded stress and sometimes leads to bad habits such as cutting corners and making rash decisions.

Discussion

What other characteristics do you value in a good leader?