What are your leadership strengths?
That’s a question I ask in a survey that participants complete before attending my “Poised for Leadership” workshop. As I prepare for a session, one of my favorite activities is to read each groups’ responses and compile the highlights, a leadership qualities list on a slide titled, “A leader is someone who…”
The answers, of course, vary tremendously. The world is full of leadership books and gurus, and they all have their own definition of what it takes to lead.
Instead of overwhelming my workshop participants with one more definition, I prefer to share their thoughts on the subject. While most attendees aren’t yet in management or technical leadership roles (though they aspire to be), I’ve found that their collective response paints a remarkably inspiring and detailed picture of leadership at its best.
On workshop day, I read them the list, letting them know, “This is what being a leader means to you.”
Here’s the 100 leadership qualities list, compiled from 20 recent workshops. Which of these have you mastered, and which would you like to improve on?
100 Leadership Qualities List
A leader is someone who…
- Sees the big picture
- Thinks strategically
- Focuses on the future
- Sets the vision
- Displays a strong business acumen
- Sets the direction
- Strives for continuous improvement
- Sees a cross-functional, cross-organizational view
- Thinks critically
- Focuses on the customer
- Possesses strong interpersonal skills
- Communicates with transparency
- Sends clear messages
- Speaks in an impactful way
- Delivers effective speaking presentations
- Gives open, honest, and direct feedback
- Listens to understand
- Asks the right questions at the right time
- Breaks down complex information into simple terms
- Interacts comfortably with people at all levels
- Stays positive and constructive during difficult conversations
- Finds middle ground and a path forward
- Manages crises and conflict with ease
- Goes above and beyond
- Focuses on results
- Likes to succeed
- Drives results
- Gets things done
- Stays goal-oriented and solution-focused
- Acts decisively
- Makes decisions in times of ambiguity
- Completes difficult tasks despite obstacles
- Exudes energy and determination
- Pushes for what she or he believes in
- Embodies a positive attitude
- Has tenacity and curiosity
- Strives to accomplish what they commit to doing
- Takes ownership
- Takes charge and assumes responsibility
- Sets high standards
- Has excellent organizational and execution skills
- Embraces change and course-corrects when needed
- Takes risks
- Is fearless
- Exudes passion, honesty, and dependability
- Wins trust
- Collaborates
- Operates with integrity and fairness
- Has a thirst for learning
- Shares know-how
- Shows empathy
- Is supportive and caring
- Stays calm in difficult situations
- Possesses leadership presence
- Leads by example
- Serves as a role model
- Earns the respect of people at all levels of the organization
- Stands up for what they believe in
- Is an influencer
- Inspires and empowers others
- Motivates others during times of uncertainty
- Influences without authority
- Works across functions to get the job done
- Manages up, down, and across
- Engages differing points of view
- Builds teams and fosters teamwork
- Instills a sense of community
- Adapts their message to the environment
- Rallies people to achieve a common goal
- Creates a shared sense of purpose
- Relates work to the organization’s goals to inspire action
- Motivates people and aligns them around team goals
- Ensures team spirit is upbeat
- Builds collaborative teams and guides them to execute on big projects
- Inspires people to act and move toward goals
- Delegates
- Sets clear expectations
- Trusts others to do their jobs without micromanaging
- Enables others to be successful
- Removes obstacles from a team’s path
- Gives positive and constructive feedback
- Allows people to learn from mistakes
- Develops strong talent
- Mentors, coaches, and develops people
- Empowers others
- Provides people with the tools and autonomy to get things done
- Acts as a strong advocate for those they manage and mentor
- Gives credit where it is due
- Celebrates others’ achievements
- Rewards good performance
- Creates opportunities for visibility
- Attributes successes to those who contributed
- Builds up team members and helps them grow
- Understands the motivations of others to inspire them in their work
- Identifies and utilizes others’ strengths
- Encourages others to do their best
- Cares about the well-being of the team
- Enjoys seeing others succeed
- Brings out the best in people
- Helps others shine
Need a quick burst of leadership inspiration?
Try this exercise:
Step 1: Select ten leadership qualities from this list that best represent the style of leadership you’d like to be known for in the next year.
Step 2: Narrow the list down to the top three leadership qualities that best represent the leadership strengths you’d most like to own and be known for.
It helps to combine any areas that are similar, like 69: Rallies people to achieve a common goal and 70: Creates a shared sense of purpose.
As you do this step, try to focus on your strengths and innate leadership style, rather than having a list of ten areas that are weaknesses. Make sure your list includes at least one item that is an existing strength, and one is a new strength you aspire to develop. Set yourself up for success by selecting those that you feel predisposed to become great at. Leading from your strengths takes a whole lot less energy than twisting yourself into a pretzel, trying to become someone that’s not really you.
Step 3: Write your three qualities on a post-it note and stick it somewhere where you’ll see it daily. Look out for opportunities to practice them this week. If it helps, write up an action plan to develop those qualities.
Bonus step: Show this leadership qualities list to some people who know you well, such as a trusted colleague, mentor or manager. Ask them to identify your top three qualities and share them with you.
Was this useful? What did you discover? What’s your plan to develop these qualities? Post a comment and share!
This article first appeared at www.BeLeaderly.com