Whether you are a new supervisor, a seasoned leader, or somewhere in-between, everyone is looking for quick keys to success when it comes to leadership. The quiet leader, the servant leader, the digital leader…there are many frameworks that a leader can follow. Whichever kind of leader you may aspire to be, almost all types are trying to generate engagement, purpose, and success from their teams. According to Inc., here are 5 key attributes that every leader should aspire to have: 

1. Show authentic care as a foundation of engagement. Great leaders treat individuals as humans rather than just a “human resource.” Leaders should value each person for who they are and have a genuine interest in their growth and development. 

2. Define your team’s purpose. Strong leaders help people find meaning in what they do and how they can deliver on that meaning for others. They help people see themselves in the work, and show how the work aligns with an individual’s values, as well as the organization’s. 

3. Set clear expectations. Leaders need to give clarity to individual and group roles, as well as what the expected outcome or goal is through regular feedback. The feedback should define expectations as an individual, but also as a team, and often, that feedback needs to be given multiple times through different channels. 

4. Look for what’s getting in the way. Leaders need to help individuals identify barriers that may not see or recognize themselves, and help them take action to remove those barriers. Leaders should help their team start to think proactively to see barriers further and further out as they grow. 

5. Acknowledge success. Studies show that public recognition are sometimes more effective than cash rewards—be sure to celebrate major milestones in projects, and not just the end goal.  

Good leadership is a journey and not a destination – to really enjoy success, a good leader must enjoy the ups and downs of the journey to get there.