Leadership is a mindset in action. So don’t wait for the title. Leadership isn’t something that anyone can give you - you have to earn it and claim it for yourself.
Leadership can be hard to define and it means different things to different people. Leaders create an inspiring vision, and then motivate and inspire others to reach that vision. More than 50 qualities have been identified that are important to great leaders. But there are 12 that seem to stand out as being more important than the others.
1. VISION
“The empires of the future are empires of the mind.” Winston Churchill
Great leaders have vision… they can see into the future. They have a clear, exciting idea of where they are going and what they are trying to accomplish and are excellent at strategic planning. This quality separates them from managers. Having a clear vision turns the individual into a special type of person. This quality of vision changes a “transactional manager” into a “transformational leader.” While a manager gets the job done, great leaders tap into the emotions of their employees.
2. COURAGE
“What you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." Goethe
Winston Churchill said “Courage is rightly considered the foremost of the virtues, for upon it, all others depend.” The quality of courage means that you are willing to take risks in the achievement of your goals with no assurance of success. Because there is no certainty in life or business, every commitment you make and every action you take entails a risk of some kind.
Among the seven leadership qualities, courage is the most identifiable outward trait.
3. CONFIDENCE
“The man of genius inspires us with a boundless confidence in our own powers.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Not only are the best leaders confident, but their confidence is contagious. Employees are naturally drawn to them, seek their advice, and feel more confident as a result. When challenged, they don't give in too easily, because they know their ideas, opinions, and strategies are well informed and the result of much hard work. But when proven wrong, they take responsibility and quickly act to improve the situations within their authority.
4. HONESTY
“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” Unknown
Strong leaders treat people the way they want to be treated. They are extremely ethical and believe that honesty, effort, and reliability form the foundation of success. They embody these values so overtly that no employee doubts their integrity for a minute. They share information openly, and avoid spin control.
5. INTEGRITY
"In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you." Warren Buffet
The first value that all executives agree upon for their company is integrity. They all agree on the importance of complete honesty in everything they do, both internally and externally. The core of integrity is truthfulness. Integrity requires that you always tell the truth, to all people, in every situation. Truthfulness is the foundation quality of the trust that is necessary for the success of any business.
6. EMPATHY
"People don't care how much you know - until they know how much you care." John C. Maxwell
Extraordinary leaders praise in public and address problems in private, with a genuine concern. The best leaders guide employees through challenges, always on the lookout for solutions to foster the long-term success of the organization. Rather than making things personal when they encounter problems, or assigning blame to individuals, leaders look for constructive solutions and focus on moving forward.
7. FOCUS
“My success, part of it certainly, is that I have focused in on a few things.” Bill Gates
Leaders always focus on the needs of the company and the situation. Leaders focus on results, on what must be achieved by themselves, by others, and by the company. Great leaders focus on strengths, in themselves and in others. They focus on the strengths of the organization, on the things that the company does best in satisfying demanding customers in a competitive marketplace.
Your ability as a leader to call the shots and make sure that everyone is focused and concentrated on the most valuable use of their time is essential to the excellent performance of the enterprise.
8. COOPERATION
“We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Your ability to get everyone working and pulling together is essential to your success. Leadership is the ability to get people to work for you because they want to. The 80/20 rule applies here: 20 percent of your people contribute 80 percent of your results. Your ability to select these people and then to work well with them on a daily basis is essential to the smooth functioning of the organization.
Gain the cooperation of others by making a commitment to get along well with each key person every single day. You always have a choice when it comes to a task: You can do it yourself, or you can get someone else to do it for you. Which is it going to be?
9. DECISIVENESS
"Decision-making is the specific executive task." Peter F. Drucker
All leaders must make tough decisions. It goes with the job. They understand that in certain situations, difficult and timely decisions must be made in the best interests of the entire organization, decisions that require a firmness, authority, and finality that will not please everyone. Extraordinary leaders don't hesitate in such situations. They also know when not to act unilaterally but instead foster collaborative decision-making.
10. STRATEGIC PLANNING
“A man who does not plan long ahead will find trouble at his door.” Confucius
Great leaders are outstanding at strategic planning. They have the ability to look ahead, to anticipate with some accuracy where the industry and the markets are going. Leaders have the ability to anticipate trends, well in advance of their competitors. They continually ask, “Based on what is happening today, where is the market going? Where is it likely to be in three months, six months, one year, and two years?” They do this through thoughtful strategic planning.
Because of increasing competitiveness, only the leaders and organisations that can accurately anticipate future markets can possibly survive. Only leaders with foresight can gain the “first mover advantage.”
11. ACCOUNTABILITY
"When things go wrong in your command, start searching for the reason in increasingly large circles around your own desk." Gen. Bruce Clarke
Extraordinary leaders take responsibility for everyone's performance, including their own. They follow up on all outstanding issues, check in on employees, and monitor the effectiveness of company policies and procedures. When things are going well, they praise. When problems arise, they identify them quickly, seek solutions, and get things back on track.
12. INSPIRATION
"Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem others. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish." Sam Walton
Put it all together, and what emerges is a picture of the truly inspiring leader: someone who communicates clearly, concisely, and often, and by doing so motivates everyone to give his or her best all the time. They challenge their people by setting high but attainable standards and expectations, and then giving them the support, tools, training, and latitude to pursue those goals and become the best employees they can possibly be.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” John Quincy Adams
BOOKS TO READ
VIDEOS TO WATCH
Why Good Leaders Make You Feel Safe: Simon Sinek
Start With Why – How Great Leaders Inspire Action: Simon Sinek