10 Things Leaders Will Do

Some skills are traits that make one successful in a quest to lead.  Enviable traits are sometimes identified through various means such as well known Myers-Briggs profiles, The Clifton Strengthsfinder (by the Gallup Organization), even one’s astrological sign.  I like to think of such information as identifiers for one’s “good genes”.  That is, whatever you discover from a test profile will likely include some traits that will enable leadership.  It’s nice to have natural tendencies, but having such traits does not make one a leader.  Becoming a leader takes concentration to sharpen what you do well, eliminate traits that undermine your leadership focus (as discussed in the last blog post) and focus on developing new traits.So let’s take a look at common practices leaders work to develop.

Lara’s Top Ten List of Things Leaders Will Do

Leaders Will…

10.  Be Generally Agreeable - Leaders work to harmonize their needs and preferences with those of others.

9.  Create Ways for Others to Succeed - Leadership thinking includes achievements of “we” not “me”.

8.  Use Filters - Leaders know that reacting to and transmitting everything they learn and know is not necessary or welcomed by others.

7.  Respect Others - People working with true leaders do not find themselves a target to aid in attaining goals.  They are included and are confident in their contributions.

6.  Clarify - Observe someone whom you admire as a leader.  Does this person prefer to ask questions or make statements?  Leaders often ask many more questions.  The input a leader seeks from others is not random or lengthy though, it’s appropriate for the decision at hand.

5.  Find Common Ground - Frequently when addressing a business problem the discussion will emphasize differences rather than recognize similarities. By contrast, leaders look for ways to set change in motion, pulling the best from those around them.

4.  Give… and Receive - A respected friend and colleague once told me that people find it much easier to give than receive.  However the act of accepting from others (a favor, some advice) will often create a stronger bond.

3.  Manage Time - Take notice of a leader who is unhurried and fully in control of his or her day.  Planning is essential to ensure time is properly spent.  Leaders work to avoid over commitment and conflicting priorities.

2.  Engage Fully - When a leader makes a commitment, he or she will be involved.  Engagement is easy to spot and includes things like good eye contact, leaning into an exchange with a friend or colleague, appropriate responses, a feeling of openness and the absence of multi-tasking.

The number one thing leaders will do…

1.  Practice Kindness - The world is complicated.  People are busy, harried and overwhelmed.  Leaders recognize the need for kind words, helpful exchanges with others and the utmost importance of human interaction.

To learn more about developing skills such as these I recommend reading the short and impactful book Choosing Civility:  The Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct by P.M. Forni, published by St. Martin’s Press.  You can view Dr. Forni’s civility website at www.jhu.edu/civility