What helps a good leader become a great leader? This is a question I am asked and a challenge I help business leaders tackle and overcome through my coaching and leadership workshops. Great leaders always possess a unique mix of qualities; and so this is not an attempt to boil things down to a simple 3 bullet list. There are many unique qualities each great leader brings to the table. But at the essence, and since we have to begin somewhere, we can start here, with three vital attributes.
Share Their Vision
Great leaders work very hard to share their vision which helps them engage their employees and provide a place where those employees enjoy showing up every day. Leaders who share their vision show their passion in everything they do – and that passion is infectious which helps get others to buy-in and carry forward the goals of the organization to support the vision.
Motivate Their People
Great leaders understand what it takes to motivate their teams. Leaders who have transcended beyond being good are able to flex their style and adjust based on the individual. Since not everyone is motivated the same way, great leaders take the time and have the ability to recognize this and meet the individual where they are . This provides the employee with what they need to be at their best each day. It also allows the employee to feel like a vital cog in the organization who will get things done because of the respect they have for their leader and the shared vision.
Aware of Their Abilities and Limitations
And while all these attributes are important, the number one characteristic I’ve found that distinguishes those that are good from those who are great leaders is quite simply self-awareness. Leaders who understand their strengths and where they excel but are also honest with themselves and are able to identify their blind spots really stand out. They are continuous learners who look for ways to close their gaps. And as a result, they distinguish and differentiate themselves and surpass other leaders. This may be one of the more difficult things to accomplish but the great leaders do so and excel as a result.
What do you think makes a great leader? Do the attributes above describe the people leading your division, organization or company? What can you do to be a great leader?
Sage Alliance, a Leadership Performance Company, provides coaching, teambuilding and assessments, workshops and speaking on topics including; leadership development, empowering teams, communications, lasting impressions, personal branding and building a coaching culture for executives and high-potentials – for both team and individual leaders.
Contact us today to discover how your organization can get the most through improved productivity, efficiency and direct impact to your bottom line, while leaders gain powerful insight, crystallize opportunities for growth and fine tune their strengths, enabling them to make the greatest impact. You can contact Shelley Hammell directly at shammell@thesagealliance.com.