What Makes A Great Leader?
Winston Churchill
John F. Kennedy
Ronald Reagan
George Washington
All were great leaders, militarily and or political. One of my readers posed the question: “what makes a great leader” as a possible article. It intrigued me.
The website letsroam.com tells us there are three different types or styles of leaders:
Autocratic. “You will do what I say”
Democratic. “Let’s figure this out together”
Laissez-Faire. “You go ahead and figure it out for yourselves”
Depending on the type of business or organization, each of these has a place. I know what type of manager I was when I was running a department in a software company.
But what makes a great leader?
The Center for Creative Leadership states that self-awareness is one of the most important aspects of a great leader. Knowing what you know and what your limits and abilities are sets the tone for most the other attributes that follow below.
According to Forbes, one characteristic is that great leaders do not have to be the smartest person in the room. I’ve had many superiors who think that, because they’ve ascended to a high position in their company or organization, they know everything. FALSE! Smart leaders hire smart people who can expand the knowledge of their team. Not only does this expand the boss’ knowledge as they learn from their subordinates, but it helps the team grow their skills.
Similarly, Harvard Business Review states that great leaders are architects that create a culture that encourages everyone within an organization — from frontline workers to senior executives — to be willing and able to innovate. Many manufacturing companies have improved their production efficiency based upon suggestions from the line workers who know production the best.
Harvard Business School states that in a survey by consulting firm Robert Half, 75 percent of employees ranked “integrity” as the most important attribute of a leader. Employees want to know that their manager will advocate for them, treat them fairly, and, ultimately, do what’s right for the organization.
According to Gallup, a great leader provides hope, by encouraging people to believe in a better future. While stability focuses on today, hopefulness deals with the future. People need to see that their leaders have a clear direction in mind. They want to have faith that their leaders are guiding them in the right direction. When leaders communicate hope, they can help followers feel more enthusiastic about the future. We’ve seen this with politicians like Kennedy (we choose to go to the moon), Reagan (a shining city on the hill), and Churchill (V).
Walden University states that great leaders don’t care about being popular. In fact, a leader may be less effective if they try to be liked. Whether it’s giving tough criticism or pointing out a practice that is believed to be unethical, a good leader means getting comfortable doing or saying things that are best for the team and organization, even if it makes the leader temporarily unpopular.
According to The Center for Creative Leadership, gratitude is important in great leaders. Few people regularly say “thank you” in work settings, even though most people say they’d be willing to work harder for an appreciative boss. The best leaders know how to show frequent gratitude.
In my opinion, the career development and placement company Indeed.com defines leadership the best with one word: courage. Courage is more than just wanting to be liked. It’s making decisions that are unpopular or difficult. It also encompasses many of the other attributes of leadership above.
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You know what I realized as I was learning about what makes great leaders? All of these attributes make great leaders and great people. I’ve had at least one superior who was a terrible human being. I can tell you he was a terrible leader.
These principles of leadership apply to every one of us. We can be better friends, spouses, church members, and members of society by following these principles.
So, are you a good or even a great leader?