{"id":69463,"date":"2022-06-14T08:47:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-14T12:47:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=69463"},"modified":"2022-06-28T15:26:42","modified_gmt":"2022-06-28T19:26:42","slug":"important-qualities-of-a-leader","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/important-qualities-of-a-leader\/","title":{"rendered":"The 3 Most Important Qualities of a Leader"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What are the most important qualities of a leader<\/a>? Why is humbleness an important leadership trait? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In their book Execution,<\/em> business leaders Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan share the qualities you must embody to be a great leader<\/a>. According to the authors, without these qualities, you will simply not be able to execute and succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the most important qualities of a leader<\/a>, according to Bossidy and Charan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Quality #1: Be Curious and Engaged<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first important quality of a leader is to engage with your employees. Good leaders break through the celebrity facade that often accompanies rank. They don\u2019t smile and wave from a platform at annual gatherings. Instead, they remove their sunglasses, have real conversations, and listen more than they talk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bossidy and Charan encourage you to abandon the comfort of your office and get out and talk to people at all levels of your company.<\/strong> Get to know them. What\u2019s working well for them? What\u2019s not working as well as it could? What ideas or requests do they have? You\u2019ll probably be surprised by what you discover. Their insights could inform your next big decision or inspire a breakthrough innovation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, be sure to extend your curiosity beyond company walls to gather intelligence on consumers. Observe consumer behavior<\/strong> so you\u2019re in touch with what\u2019s happening and what risks are on the horizon<\/strong>. Your discoveries, the authors explain, will guide you around pivotal decisions that could either accelerate or hamper growth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you have sufficient knowledge and data, Bossidy and Charan encourage, apply the insights you gain. The more aware you are of what\u2019s happening in and around your company, the better decisions you\u2019ll make<\/strong>. Then, when one of your subordinates says, \u201cThat goal isn\u2019t possible. There\u2019s no way,\u201d you\u2019ll be able to have an informed discussion about the capacity across the whole company that does<\/em> make it possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Surface Valuable Information You Can Use<\/strong>

How do you get people to open up<\/a> to you? What should you be listening for when they do? Further, how can you possibly keep track of all the information you gather? Let\u2019s expand upon Bossidy and Charan\u2019s recommendations so you feel confident as you engage with others.

Talking face-to-face with your employees<\/strong>\u2014Having authentic, unscripted conversations with subordinates comes easier to some than others. To make conversations easier, learn to overcome barriers to good listening<\/a> by asking clarifying questions and staying attuned to nonverbal cues<\/a>. 

Furthermore, whereas Bossidy and Charan focus on discussing work-related matters with staff, Bill Campbell in Trillion Dollar Coach<\/em><\/a> describes the value of getting to know your staff as human beings\u2014talking to them about their personal lives<\/a> helps foster connection and reinforces job satisfaction.

Gathering consumer data<\/strong>\u2014What consumer data or information should you gather specifically? Consider looking into the psychology of consumer behavior<\/a> to align your company\u2019s actions with consumers\u2019 typical behavior patterns. For example, learning what motivates people to select one product over another can help you design marketing that highlights the particular features in your product that customers desire.

Tracking employees\u2019 output<\/strong>\u2014How can a leader realistically track employees\u2019 productivity and workload across the entire company so they can make good decisions? Creative employee monitoring methods<\/a> can help you stay informed in a way that\u2019s practical and sustainable. Time-tracking software, for example, will allow you to see how much time employees spend on each task and what tasks they\u2019re currently focusing on. You could also conduct a morning huddle where everyone shares their top priority for the day and, if necessary, requests support from other team members.  <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Quality #2: Be Humble <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Next, keep your ego<\/a> in check, and never assume you have all the answers<\/strong>. <\/strong>Simply put, you don\u2019t know what you don\u2019t know. Look to others who can complement your abilities and expand your awareness. As Bossidy and Charan emphasize, there is tremendous value in seeking multiple perspectives<\/strong> on important issues. Others\u2019 unique experiences and knowledge will allow you to make more informed decisions\u2014about business strategy, someone\u2019s potential, or a critical business move. Furthermore, you can\u2019t correct mistakes and make the best decisions if you close yourself off to others\u2019 ideas and insights. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: There are many other benefits to listening to other people\u2019s perspectives<\/a> that are arguably just as vital as those the authors describe. People with different personality types\u2014introverts versus extroverts, for example\u2014can share how likely they are to respond to a particular product, marketing approach, or communication strategy, which will allow you to see the probable impact of key decisions from multiple angles. Also, people who represent a diversity of races, genders, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations can offer valuable insights from unique perspectives. Research has shown that diverse groups foster more innovation than homogenous groups.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To ensure you bring forward the best ideas, don\u2019t assume others will contribute their thoughts without prompting: Be proactive<\/a>. Request and be open to candid feedback<\/strong>. Encourage people to challenge you, and reward those who do. Make it safe<\/a> for people to disagree\u2014with you and each other. A workplace without occasional conflict should be a red flag that people aren\u2019t telling the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Navigate Power Dynamics to Take Advantage of Feedback<\/strong>

Bossidy and Charan don\u2019t go into detail on the effect of power dynamics when it comes to giving and receiving<\/a> feedback. As the leader, the way you respond to critical feedback will likely have an outsized effect on people\u2019s willingness to approach you in the future, given the power differential between you. If you react negatively\u2014even once\u2014people may not make another attempt, fearful of repercussions. 

So how can you put employees at ease so they feel empowered to freely share their ideas and speak up when they have a problem? Here are some steps you can take:

Request feedback confidentially through a third party<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong> In What Got You Here Won\u2019t Get You There<\/em><\/a>, Marshall Goldsmith says that people are likely to share only positive feedback if you ask them for feedback directly. However, when you request feedback indirectly through a third party, people will be more inclined to share their honest opinions because their identities will not be linked to their specific comments. 

Explicitly request public criticism from your employees<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong> In Radical Candor<\/em><\/a>, Kim Scott says that receiving critical feedback in a public forum, like a company-wide meeting, fulfills multiple goals. First, you display the value you place on critical feedback. Second, you establish yourself as a strong leader who is committed to constant improvement. Third, you save time by fielding each critique once<\/em> rather than multiple times. 

To break through people\u2019s initial discomfort at delivering negative feedback in public, ask a team member you trust to disagree with you or share a critique at an upcoming meeting. Others will likely follow their example. Also, ask questions during meetings that solicit critical feedback, such as \u201cHow can I better support you?\u201d<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Quality #3: Be Confident and Make Clear Decisions <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Finally, people look to you for guidance, so be sure you\u2019re not missing in action. No matter what happens\u2014inside your company or in the external environment\u2014it\u2019s your job to create certainty by projecting confidence and making clear decisions.<\/strong> If the stock market crashes, if power outages shut down operations, or if new regulations impact the bottom line, be sure your voice is the one your people hear loudest. As Bossidy and Charan warn, if you don\u2019t provide clarity, rumors and misinformation can take hold. Then, people may get nervous and start looking for a different company that seems more stable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: How can you create certainty in uncertain times? It\u2019s important to be transparent about challenges the company is facing. Your employees will easily see through manipulated attempts to gloss over obvious challenges. You can acknowledge people\u2019s fears and retain their trust and commitment by focusing on two main factors: the strengths of your team and what you\u2019re doing now to provide stability<\/a>. To address rumors and misinformation, add rumor-busting to your meeting agenda and empower junior managers<\/a> with the authority to quash rumors.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What are the most important qualities of a leader? Why is humbleness an important leadership trait? In their book Execution, business leaders Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan share the qualities you must embody to be a great leader. According to the authors, without these qualities, you will simply not be able to execute and succeed. Here are the most important qualities of a leader, according to Bossidy and Charan.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":8553,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29,79,14],"tags":[649],"class_list":["post-69463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-career","category-entrepreneurship","category-management","tag-execution","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nThe 3 Most Important Qualities of a Leader - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The three most important qualities of a leader are to be engaged, humble, and confident. 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