What is the key to being a GREAT Leader?

After years of partnering with leaders — recruiting for them, advising them, and placing senior executives into key roles — I’ve seen firsthand what separates good leaders from great ones. And while leadership is complex, there’s one non-negotiable trait that underpins it all: respect. Couple my personal experience with objective market reporting that indicates up to 75% of people leave their current job due to poor leadership – I ponder. What fundamentally makes a bad or good leader? ?

Meryl Streep said it perfectly. “Disrespect invites disrespect… When the powerful use their position to bully others, we all lose”.

A leader who shows disrespect colleagues creates a toxic culture. A leader who belittles those they out-rank or out-privilege is giving permission that this behaviour is ok, and it spreads.

We spend most of our week, our lives, our time, at work. Our colleagues and our workplace have become our communities. A place where we learn, align values and grow as human beings. The workplace has an instrumental affect on our personalities, motivations, and day to day human experiences that create us.

So, what makes a great leader? Someone who treats others with respect, self-awareness and a commitment for personal growth. It may sound simple – but as my mum always said (and mother knows best), treat others how you want to be treated.

Leaders set the tone.? When they hold themselves to high standards, they create cultures where people feel valued, empowered and motivated to do their best work.

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What do you think?? What leadership traits have made the biggest impact in your career?