It’s a tricky question to
answer. Since leadership is a set of competencies, it’s difficult, if not
impossible, to isolate a single quality, mindset, behavior, or attribute that
signifies a person will be a great leader.
Great leaders tend to embody
many qualities, all working in concert; here are seven attributes that,
in combination, aid impressive leadership:
1.
SELF-AWARENESS
Great leaders are self-aware.
They understand how their behaviors, words, actions, and even aspects like body
language impact others. They seek feedback on their leadership. They try to see
themselves through others’ eyes.
This reflection can be
difficult for some people but is incredibly important for leaders. They know
that perception is part of their reality. Great leaders need to be aware of
their strengths and weaknesses. Self-awareness allows them to leverage their strengths
effectively and work on improving their weaknesses. Self-aware leaders are
better at managing their own emotions and understanding the emotions of
others.
This skill is essential for
building solid relationships, resolving conflicts, and motivating teams.
Self-awareness helps leaders recognize their values and ethical boundaries.
Ethical leadership is critical for gaining trust and respect from team members
and stakeholders.
2. ABILITY TO CONNECT
AND COLLABORATE
In today’s modern workforce,
there’s a level of interconnectedness that we have never seen before. No longer
operating in isolated, hierarchical environments, leaders now must thrive in a
hybrid atmosphere that’s fluid and more democratized.
Connecting and collaborating
intensively across the organization are necessary for success. As so many teams
today are cross-functional. Connecting establishes valuable relationships for oneself
and others across the organization. Today, we can connect and interlink through virtual platforms and tools in increasingly authentic and intuitive ways that
were previously unimaginable.
As for collaboration, it
often comes down to this simple statement: collaborative leaders will
place team needs and priorities above personal needs and priorities, and they
actively foster synergy within and across teams. Successful leaders actively
involve others in making decisions that affect them, and likewise, they give
credit to others where credit is due.
An important aspect of
connection is communication. One can only happen with the other, and
influential leaders can express their vision, goals, and expectations to their
teams clearly. Communication goes both ways, and great leaders are also great
listeners. Understanding team members’ ideas, concerns, and feedback fosters
trust and gives leaders the critical information they need to make
well-informed decisions for their team’s health.
Empathetic leaders understand
their team members’ perspectives, feelings, and needs. This quality builds
trust, enhances communication, and promotes a supportive and inclusive
workplace. A collaborative leader is there to resolve conflicts when they arise.
Leaders facilitating open and constructive communication can better address
issues before they can escalate.
3. LEADING WITH
PASSION
There is a lot packed into
this one: Successful leaders craft a transformative vision and share it with a
sense of passion. They help their teams understand what to do, why they are
doing it, and why it matters. Great leaders mobilize their teams to execute the
vision and sustain momentum by constantly reinforcing that vision. This
approach demands a consistent, authentic, and transparent communication
strategy.
Passionate leaders tend to be
influential leaders with relationships and networks within and outside the
organization. These networks can be invaluable for broader collaborative
efforts, troubleshooting issues, and staying informed about industry trends.
Passionate leaders also tend to be enthusiastic leaders, and enthusiasm is
contagious. Leaders who are excited about their vision and goals can inspire
and energize their team while fostering a positive work environment.
So, while some leaders may be
poor communicators, a passionate and enthusiastic belief in their vision is
critical in today’s context. Great leaders work to develop the skills to
communicate their passions effectively.
4.
OPENMINDEDNESS
Great leaders acknowledge and
accept that they don’t have all the answers. They are learning as they lead the
way forward. They can be open to diverse thinking and
recognize that they must be decisive in a world of complexity, data overload,
and rapid pace.
Being an open-minded leader
means asking many questions and listening with an active ear and open heart. It
means welcoming different perspectives, ideas, and opinions while creating an
environment free from fear of judgment, ridicule, or punishment. The best
leaders learn from anyone – a new hire, customer, supplier– and are open to
what they hear.
Being open also means
undertaking an objective data analysis before arriving at conclusions. The
availability of so much data and the speed of processing that data, even in
real-time, allows for so much extra input into decision-making that it can
become difficult for a leader to focus on what’s important. However, leaders
must understand when they have enough data to make a good business decision.
They must be decisive to lead effectively. The best leaders can strike that
delicate balance.
5. CAPACITY TO BE
AGILE, ADAPTABLE, AND FLEXIBLE
Great leaders today are aware
of digital threats and opportunities, but they must go beyond simply being
aware. They must actively demonstrate their ability to be flexible, agile and
respond effectively to these changing environments. They can rapidly shift
direction while working with and guiding the teams and individuals they lead.
They can improvise when necessary and are open to change and new challenges.
Influential leaders guide
their organizations through periods of change and transformation by persuading
others that they can embrace new ideas and adapt to change effectively. In
today’s rapidly evolving business-technology environment, leaders must quickly
adapt to new technologies, market trends, and challenges. Learning agility
ensures they stay relevant.
Learning-agile leaders are
committed to personal and professional growth. They seek opportunities to
develop new skills and knowledge to benefit themselves and their organizations.
Leaders who are open to learning and experimentation are more likely to drive
innovation within their teams and organizations. They encourage a culture of
creativity and continuous improvement.
6. EMPLOYEE
EMPOWERMENT
Effective leaders can look
at every individual they lead and figure out how best to
develop, coach, and motivate them as individuals to obtain
the most outstanding outcomes from them. A truly effective leader empowers
their team members to accomplish the business objectives and achieve their full
potential.
Leaders who lack this skill
risk the same level of impact, but in the opposite direction. Leaders who fail
to empower their team members may see them leave or stagnate, likely resulting
in outcomes that miss the mark.
Serving as a positive coach and
mentor to team members can have an immeasurable impact on them professionally
and personally. Learning to fill this role should be a priority for anyone who
is or plans to lead others.
7. THE ABILITY TO
INNOVATE AND LEAD INNOVATION
Great leaders improve
organizational performance through innovation. They encourage applying original
and creative thinking to existing and emerging business models, processes, and
products.
Developing the capability to
envision, foster, and apply innovation is fundamental to leadership today.
Driving innovation means using good judgment to determine how, where, and when
that innovation will deploy to maximize business value. It also means finding
ways to get the most creative thinking from the team. Creativity and innovation
go hand-in-hand, and great leaders provide a welcoming home for original,
imaginative thinking.
This skill brings the list of
attributes to a close. By any name, when combined, they create great leaders,
and great leaders build great teams that deliver exceptional results for their
organizations.
The above seven qualities are
a tremendous overall metric of the skills and mindset of a leader. But, since
leadership comprises much more than those general skills. If we’re to dig
deeper into the role to give interested readers a look at the life of a leader,
then there are some hard skills to consider in conjunction with the general
attributes listed above. There are roughly five hard skills every leader should
have:
