Leaders, on the other hand, challenge their employees to achieve the goals by creating a compelling vision of the future in turn unlocking their employees potential. A good point has been made here, leaders challenge followers by introducing visions of the future that grab their attention and challenge them to achieve these visions of success. Managers do not challenge the minds of their followers, but simply set a goal with a deadline and expect productivity to be at it's best without allowing their followers time nor space to be creative or think "outside the box." ".
Studies show that the main traits that all effective leaders have in common are optimism and confidence. Simply said they are positive people who are sure of themselves and their ability to influence others and impact the future. Leaders have skills that can easily be applied or incorporated into a particular style of management to assist them in becoming leaders. The first skill that must be acquired in order to become a leader is the ability to inspire action. Leaders help their followers to see how they as individuals single handedly help create the future of the organization. They are skilled in inspiring their followers to be creative and go beyond the boundaries of normal bureaucracies. Leaders can do so because they are not afraid themselves to be "hands on." In turn, leaders who are "hands on"" know exactly what is needed to clear the path for their employees to be successful.
Communication is the next skill that is essential to becoming a leader. Leaders make a commitment to communicate with their employees and to keep them informed about the organization. Employees want their voices to be heard, and in a way good leaders do this for their employees. Even if the employees are not an integral part to the company's success, they still would like to believe they have a voice that is being heard throughout the organization.