5 Signs That Your Boss May Have Great Leadership Skills

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Ever wonder what are the?defining attributes of great leaders? That's the age-old question thought leaders and scholars galore have been attempting to answer in?mountains of books?and literature.?

While great leadership, to an extent, can be?personal and subjective to the?follower, there are?universal principles you can't argue with?(but you can try). Here are six principles that keep?repeatedly surfacing in the literature and best practices.

1. Great leaders seek knowledge from others.

Great leaders may be smart and know a lot, but they are humble enough to recognize there may be smarter people in the room they can learn from. They don't restrict themselves from opinions and input outside of their own. They surround themselves with diverse perspectives to help them answer questions like, "How do I know my decision?is the right one?" or "Is there a better course of action here?"

2. Great leaders model transparency for others.

Transparency promotes an open culture of respect, openness,?and dignity, void of the usual toxic corporate metaphors like backstabbing, gossiping, and throwing people under the bus. The business case for it has and always will be about the team--developing strong relationships, collaboration, and, lest we forget, getting results. But transparent leaders go beyond self-transparent behaviors; they allow others to voice their opinion and encourage emotional honesty and uncomfortable conversations?in boardrooms and conference rooms.?

3. Great leaders have mentors.

Great leaders surround themselves with sages?they can approach for wisdom and honest feedback. They also choose their mentors carefully because?receiving advice from the wrong people could potentially be career-limiting and a bad move. They find tried-and-true mentors with a high degree of integrity they, and others, admire and would like to emulate.?

4. Great leaders build strong relationships.

Executive coaches like myself preach this ad nauseam, yet it often falls on deaf ears. Leaders who value strong, authentic relationships see tremendous differences in how their employees and customers respond.?Margaret J. Wheatley, renowned management consultant and author of?Leadership and the New Science ,?gave timeless?advice to point new leaders in the right direction:

"We will need to become savvy about how to build?relationships, how to nurture growing, evolving things. All of us will need better skills in listening, communicating, and facilitating groups, because these are the talents that build strong relationships."

5. Great leaders are also great servant leaders.

Leadership is not dictating, commanding, or imposing. It is serving others (your customers, but?especially?your employees). It means empowering others to achieve their goals, bringing out the best in people, and helping people?develop and reach their highest potential.?We call this?servant leadership--one of the highest platforms to launch your leadership success and my most requested speaking topic when I get on a stage.

Your turn: What makes up a great leader? Add to this list in the comments, and let's learn from each other.

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Shout Out to Middle Managers and Emerging Leaders!

Check out the ‘From Boss to Leader ’ course -- a top-rated hybrid immersion into Servant Leadership. I designed it specifically to help emerging leaders and middle managers acquire the necessary skills to perform at their best. Watch this?2-minute video ?to see if it may be right for you or your management team. Then?book your 15-minute call ,?and I will personally speak with you to ensure it's a good fit. No obligation. No sales pitches.

At your service,

Marcel

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Marcel Schwantes ?is a global speaker whose keynotes and workshops spotlight the human side of work and how cultures of care, connection, and belonging outperform the competition. He's an executive coach, syndicated columnist, and the creator of the highly-acclaimed "From Boss to Leader " course. Marcel has been recognized as one of the Top 101 Global Employee Engagement & Experience Influencers by Inspiring Workplaces. His work is regularly featured in Inc., Time, Business Insider, Fast Company, and CNBC.