3 things leaders need to be exceptional

The debate about what makes a good leader is dominating our news cycle, and for good reason: I don’t need to remind you that we’re in the middle of a chaotic election season where our top political leaders have illustrated how successful leadership cannot rest squarely on any one person’s shoulders. As we approach the 2024 election, we’ve seen the danger of leadership building a narrative that they are irreplaceable, or that the success of an entire country or organization depends solely on the one person at the helm. Alternatively, we’ve seen the risks involved when a leader does not recognize when it’s time to pass the torch.

Rather, true leadership should build a vision that each member of the team has a purpose as part of a greater whole, and empowers individuals to fulfill it to the best of their ability. Whether you’re leading a nation or a company, you’re failing as a leader if your message is that everything will fall apart without you.?

As a leader you want to be exceptional?? My advice is to know what you are good at, surround yourself with talent that supplements what you aren’t good at, and then stay out of their way.? That is empowering leadership.??

Know Your Strengths

No one person can scale a company alone, so the best leaders must be able to accurately see themselves and others to recognize where each person most shines. When I was a kid, my parents were already exposing me to leadership lessons, such as when they bought me a book about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Jobs’ leadership strengths included innovation, design, and marketing. By bringing in Tim Cook as CEO in 2011, who was an expert in supply chain and operations, Apple became the first company to reach a $1 trillion valuation in 2018.?

Cook may not have been able to innovate the way Jobs did. Jobs may not have been able to operationalize and focus on efficiency as well as Cook. But they were able to fill in each other’s gaps in order to maximize success.?

This of course requires a leader to have a certain degree of self awareness to be able to clearly see oneself, and to be able to identify one’s strengths as well as identify team members who can help fill in the areas where one may be weak.?

The research shows that most of us don’t see ourselves clearly, so growing your self awareness is an ongoing process. Sometimes people close to us are able to see us more clearly than we are able to see ourselves. To help grow your self awareness, you might try making a habit of regularly asking for feedback from people you trust about what they see as your strengths, and areas where you’re not so strong. And then be prepared to just listen with an open mind without getting defensive. If you think you’re woke, then you probably need this more than most. Learning isn’t a destination; it’s a journey.

Embrace vulnerability

Another trait of a strong leader is to admit when you fall short. It takes a strong mentality to stand before your mistakes and make corrections. Yet doing so can inspire a more loyal workforce, while failing to own your missteps can make you lose trust. Moreover, owning your mistakes is a first step towards being able to correct them.

Take for example how Tim Cook’s ability to own up to his mistakes may have been one reason why Jobs chose him to be his successor. In his memoir, Bono wrote about a time when he convinced Cook to put a U2 album on the iPhone for free, and the move received backlash. Bono wrote, “Probably instinctively conservative, [Cook] was ready to try something different to solve a problem. When it went wrong, he was ready to take responsibility."

Take responsibility

Cook may not have had all the answers, but no one person does. Sometimes you have to try, fail, and then correct. A central thread of leadership is taking responsibility for the vision, for the outcome, for your people. This doesn’t mean running the show by yourself, but investing in your team’s success and taking responsibility for failures. A successful leader surrounds themselves with people they trust to be able to fulfill their vision, and owns the mistakes they make in working towards that vision to create a culture of and accountability.?

At the end of the day, a leader’s true power lies in their ability to influence and to inspire others to show up as their best. This means knowing your strengths, surrounding yourself with talent to fill in your gaps, and taking responsibility when mistakes happen. Doing so will humanize your leadership and motivate your employees. That is where you get ROI.

*This article was originally published on Substack here.

I’d love to hear your thoughts: In your opinion, what makes a leader exceptional? Please comment below.

3 Things Not to Miss This Month

1. Join Us At #CWSsummit. This year, HireTalent and Consciously Unbiased are honored to be hosting our annual #CWS dinner with Curately.ai. Join us on Tuesday, September 17th from 6pm onwards. Note this is only open to Corporate Buyers and Corporate HR Professionals and MSP partners currently. Please register here.
2. Take a pilates class on us. Join HireTalent & Consciously Unbiased for a revitalizing Pilates session to kick off the SIA 2024 CWS Conference. This isn't just about networking; it's a chance to start the conference on a high note by focusing on wellness and meaningful connections!?

Location: Pegasus Lawn | Omni Dallas

Date: Monday, September 16, 2024

Time: 6:30am

Spots Available: Limited to 50 participants

RSVP here?

3. Be on our live broadcasts. HireTalent is looking for potential panelists to be guest speakers on our "Contingent Workforce" series. We're particularly interested in MSPS, buyers, and CW consultants. If you're interested, please fill out this Google form here and our team will reach out for further information.

Have a great rest of the summer, and I’ll be back with another update in September.