"A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, people will say: we did it ourselves." -Lao Tzu
Anyone can be a manager. A manager is simply a position title. It takes a leader to maximize the potential of a group. Leaders enable their subordinates to reach beyond their perceived capabilities, and are there to pick them up if they fall short. But, what does it mean to be a leader? What characteristics do top leaders possess that their less effective counterparts do not?
Over 100 members of an elite organization were asked to share what made their best and worst leaders so great or so poor. The top five results are presented below and are arranged from most endorsed to least:
Best Leader | Worst Leader |
|---|---|
Humble | Afraid to Bring Bad News to the Boss |
Develops Others | Closed to Feedback |
Empathetic | Arrogant |
Listens to Others | Insecure |
Socially Skilled | Self-Centered |
HUMILITY VS. ARROGANCE
The most endorsed trait of a top leader was humility. Definitions of humility range from having a low estimate of one’s own importance to being free from pride and arrogance. These definitions touch on a key component of leadership: the emphasis on the importance of others and the de-emphasis on the importance of self.
According to Jim Collins, management researcher and author of the groundbreaking book Good to Great, a top-leader or “level five leader,” as Collins calls it, is someone who looks outward during successes and inward during failures. In other words, top leaders recognize their role as being enablers rather than doers. They are driven by their team’s success rather than by their own while also taking ownership of any shortfalls. Humble leaders understand that while arrogance gets attention, modesty gets results.
OTHERS-FOCUSED VS. SELF-FOCUSED
Top leaders take time to develop their employees. Again, leaders recognize their role as enablers and revolve the majority of efforts around this task. From their decades of research on workplace dynamics, global analytics and advice firm, Gallup, state the best leaders are those who actively invest in the development of their subordinates. Employees who feel that their supervisors encourage their development are more engaged at work, and employee engagement is directly linked to a number of positive outcomes to include increased productivity.
Self-focused leaders, on the other hand, see themselves as the team frontman. Their mission is to outshine others, and they see their subordinates as vehicles to do so. According to well-regarded organizational psychologist, Adam Grant, “Selfish leaders use power for personal gain. [Selfless] leaders use power for social good.” As a result, the self-focused leader creates a work environment of employees who feel overworked and underappreciated.
SECURITY VS. INSECURITY
Arrogant, self-serving leaders are often insecure leaders. Narcissism is a trait most commonly associated with toxic or counterproductive leadership. To the outside observer, narcissism presents as overconfidence and cockiness. But, to the narcissist, it is simply an attempt to overcompensate for underlying insecurity. True narcissism is fragile, inflated self-esteem. It is insecurity in the disguise of bravado.
Insecure leaders operate from a kiss up, kick down approach. They are the opposite of Collins’s “level five leader,” as they take credit for team successes and are quick to cast blame for team failures. For the insecure leader, taking responsibility for failure is synonymous with being a failure - a status every narcissist fears. In addition, critical feedback is like kryptonite to an insecure leader, both receiving it and delivering it to their boss. It causes fear and avoidance. As a result, candor is crushed.
Secure leaders are able to separate situation from identity. They view failures as opportunities to grow rather than confirmation of their inadequacies. They also engender trust and security in their subordinates which results in many positive employee outcomes.
WAYS TO BE MORE HUMBLE, OTHERS-FOCUSED, AND SECURE
Are leaders born or made? The answer is irrelevant. Good leader behaviors can be learned. If leaders actively strive to be more humble, selfless, and secure with themselves, their leadership effectiveness will improve. The following are some tips for engaging in good leader behaviors.
RESIST THE COMPETITION URGE
Healthy competition is not a bad thing. However, when a leader’s primary motivation is to win, that leader’s behaviors will trend towards self-service rather than serving others. As a leader, it’s necessary to be ambitious and driven. But, be sure to keep in mind your primary purpose: to enable others to perform.
COACH YOUR SUBORDINATES
Employee engagement is a product of internal motivation. In order to obtain maximum, long-term motivation, employees must feel their leader is invested in their growth. If, as a leader, you make it your goal to enable others, then you must engage in individualized, intentional, and ongoing coaching with them. Collaboratively develop goals with your subordinates while assessing how you can use your position to maximize their growth.
CREATE A MORE VOCAL CULTURE
Can your subordinates really be candid with you? If not, help them speak truth to power by making feedback a regular, casual exchange. Thank, and publicly acknowledge, those who are willing to speak up. Solicit feedback informally instead of waiting for it to come your way. Take the feedback in a constructive manner and close the loop with how you will implement it. Finally, role model this feedback process by being transparent with your own boss, including delivering bad news.
DIVORCE SITUATIONS FROM YOUR IDENTITY
Vince Lombardi once said, “The man at the top of the mountain didn’t fall there.” The same applies to you. You didn’t become a leader by accident. Your talent and work-ethic got you there. Unfortunately, the same drive that allowed you to succeed, also allows you to notice every imperfection in your work while ignoring many successes. This is a recipe for insecurity. Start keeping track of your wins (privately). And, any time you harp on a failure, ask yourself what it means. Does it mean you are a failure? No. You simply failed at a task. It’s a situational outcome, not a stamp on your identity. Pull lessons learned from it and move on.
True leaders make everyone better. They build enduring greatness through a combination of personal humility and professional drive. They understand their role is to maximize team success, not their own individual success. They do not fear failure. Rather, they embrace it as an opportunity to grow. Effective leaders set the example for others to follow.
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