How Great Leaders Are Winning the Corporate Game

Does Your Organization Have Great Leaders?

 In today's competitive world, employing the right leadership team is crucial. Talented leaders retain talented employees, help organizations maximize productivity, and achieve business goals. However, weak leadership can damage productivity, chase top employees away, and jeopardize both the heart and health of a business. A vast variety of qualities and characteristics can define outstanding leadership—and they differ from company to company. I have partnered with numerous hiring leaders over the years—some better than others. I’ve learned that the most successful leaders exhibit the following characteristics and leadership behaviors, and consistently put them into practice with their teams.

1.   Empower. Empowering employees provides a certain degree of autonomy and responsibility for decision-making regarding their specific job. Great leaders entrust their employees to make decisions, which increases confidence, creates a stronger sense of ownership and worth, reduces bureaucracy, and enables individuals to be more productive and, most importantly, perform at their optimum level. When employees feel empowered, they are more satisfied with their job and more open and willing to make suggestions and share their thoughts and ideas. Collaboration and productivity elevate across the company, as well as customer loyalty... which all increases revenue.

2.   Trust and Listen. Trusting and listening to members of your team, creates respect in an environment where individuals want to be and go every day. Imagine working for a company you felt did not respect your opinion or listen to your point of view. Most individuals do not stay with organizations long term if the leadership team fails to trust or listen to them. A team cannot function at its highest capacity without trust.

3.   Empathy.  Empathetic leaders are aware of the feelings and emotions of other people. Empathy is a key element of Emotional Intelligence—the link between self and others. We are all born with the capacity for empathy; however it is indeed a learned behavior. It’s crucial for leaders to both understand and be sensitive to their employees’ and colleagues’ needs, especially when someone is experiencing difficulties outside of work. You cannot build a successful team or nurture others without empathy. Leaders with empathy have a much easier time developing relationships and getting their team and customers to buy into their ideas and vision.

4.   Motivate and Inspire. Strong leaders motivate, inspire, and develop their teams, share their knowledge, and provide opportunities to help individuals achieve and grow. The business world is constantly changing and evolving. Great leaders understand their employees’ needs and desires—and are aware that these needs are always changing too. During stressful and challenging business situations, strong leaders stay calm and positive and keep the motivation up across their team.

5.   Communicate. Communication as a leader allows team members and others to understand their roles, projects, expectations, and vision—which all lead to more accurate work and completion of projects and tasks in a more efficient amount of time. Communication is crucial, as it allows employees to operate effectively, reduces the potential for errors, and improves productivity overall, which, in the end, increases morale and decreases wasted energy.

6.   Passion & Enthusiasm. Passion is an intense desire or enthusiasm about something. Passionate leaders cannot help but think about their role, team, and company. And they consistently work hard at it and feel excited about it all the time. Passionate leaders have a high energy level that is contagious and a great story, which are always positive. If you want others to follow you, then you must lead with both passion and enthusiasm. Your staff will get excited because they can see and feel your excitement and dedication. Imagine working for a leader who is not passionate or enthusiastic. Nobody can be inspired by someone who has zero passion or enthusiasm. I strongly believe that passionate leaders create passionate teams—and these leaders don’t look at their work as their job… it’s simply their passion. 

7.   Self-Awareness. Leaders with self-awareness have a clear perception of their personality and who they really are, including their strengths, weaknesses, beliefs, motivation, and emotions. They understand other people and how they are perceived. They recognize attitudes and responses to others in the moment and the impact it can have on others' emotional state. If you are not aware of your own feelings and how your feelings can influence your thoughts and behaviors, How can you develop or lead other individuals effectively? Leaders who are self-aware can see how others view them, are typically more effective overall, and have strong relationships with their teams and customers. They can consciously influence situations and truly understand the potential climate of the team and particular situations.

8.   Integrity. Integrity connotes a deep commitment to do the right thing for the right reason, regardless of the circumstances: a concept of consistency of actions, values, principles, expectations, and outcomes. Integrity means telling the truth—even if the truth is ugly and not what someone else wants to hear. Trust is the quality that binds all relationships together, and every organization should only want and seek leaders with high integrity.

9.   Creativity. Creativity promotes innovative thinking and mission-driven entrepreneurship. For companies to remain competitive today, they must be innovative and creative, which all starts with the leadership team. Creative leaders find solutions to solve problems, implement new ideas and practices, and close those challenging business deals. When businesses shift directions, there are company changes or unknown new approaches. Creative leaders can also create clarity of purpose for their teams.

10. Vision. Vision is a practical guide for creating plans and setting goals and objectives. Great leaders create a compelling vision and a comprehensive plan. They take ownership of it and relentlessly work it to completion. A vision helps keep organizations and groups focused and together, especially during stressful times or during complex projects. A vision is all about seeing and creating a brighter and better future for both your team and your company.

Great leadership does not happen overnight. The best leaders never stop learning and growing as individuals and leaders. Like any great athlete, it takes dedication, time, practice, curiosity of learning, and surrounding yourself with other talented peers and mentors to learn from over the years. Great leaders also incorporate many of these important characteristics into their personal lives, so it comes more natural to them.

In essence, leadership is not about achieving power and authority. It’s a mindset. Being a leader is not a title that someone can give to you. It’s one that you earn. These leadership qualities will help you shine through in times of success and in tough times as well.

How have you made an impact as a leader recently? Share some of your best leadership traits and tips with others, so we can have more great leaders like you!