What Does Good Leadership Look Like?

A company that wants to remain viable in the marketplace must prioritize employee recruitment and development.

This is especially true when selecting candidates to fill essential leadership roles, as effective leadership is perhaps the single greatest contributor to any company's long-term success.

What does good leadership look like, and how do you identify the right people for the job? Among the notable qualities of great leaders, five character traits consistently stand out.

The Top 5 Characteristics of Great Leaders

Good leaders share several identifiable characteristics that support effectiveness in their leadership roles. However, five specific qualities appear to transition good leaders into great leaders.

1. Future-Thinking

A great leader is a visionary. They have a future-thinking mindset that allows them to see where they want to go, the steps necessary to get there, and what it feels like to achieve their goals.

2. Strategy Oriented

Great leaders support their vision through strategic planning, using strategic plans to identify organizational strengths and weaknesses in conjunction with environmental risks and opportunities.

Included in the strategy is an action plan of how to meet defined objectives. Influential leaders implement systems that support their team’s day to day activities and generate loyalty toward the organization and its goals in return.

3. Inclusive Mindset

An inclusive mindset is a hallmark quality of an effective leader. Effective leaders understand that they must invite others to work collectively toward common goals.

Great leaders approach their internal and external resources with an inclusive mindset and the power of “we” not “I.” They are keen to solicit input and promote a sense of ownership among those who will impact the company’s direction.

4. Effective Communication

The best leaders convey essential information with clarity, transparency, and timeliness. Team members are privy to new ideas, shifting dynamics, and executive decisions through direct communication from leadership.

The underlying tone and intent of all communication are supportive and encouraging, not manipulative or forced. Leadership’s communication is intended to build trust, avoid misunderstandings, and inspire unity within the organization.

5. Inspire and Motivate

The ability to inspire and motivate others is a key leadership skill that supports a continuum of stability and success within an organization.

Leaders able to effectively inspire others demonstrate a vested interest in developing an individual’s talents and creating opportunities for personal and professional growth among team members within an organization.

Highly effective leaders identify and tap into underlying factors that promote enthusiasm and commitment toward goal setting and achievement.

Can Great Leaders be Cultivated?

While many may believe that a rare few innately possess effective leadership qualities, sound leadership traits can be cultivated through time and experience.

Are you looking for your next great leader?

The success of any organization rests with its human resources. While they might be a bit rough around the edges, you will find seeds of the five characteristics listed above in rising talent.

Establish a task force of in-house personnel and outside consultants to evaluate and assess underutilized talents and strengths among the people you lead.

Through careful selection and development of key personnel in your organization, you can develop great leaders from your internal ranks.

Our Essential Strategy approach and supporting toolkit of knowledge empowers our clients to take control of these critical processes so that they support – not slow down – the business of achieving goals and delivering on mission. Explore what we have to offer.