They may come in all shapes and sizes, maintain specific agendas and possess unique skill sets, be women or men, but there exist several essential traits that are universal among good leaders.
I have my own thoughts on the definition of a true leader, but will also share the observations of Lawrence King, a CEO of King Strategic Development, who in a recent leadership workshop outlined several required roles for leadership success. While King was speaking to the role of company CEOs as leaders, the functions he describes are also attributable to leaders of all kinds, from heads of multi-billion dollar enterprises to principals of small community organizations.
First and foremost, leaders are strategists, constantly striving to clearly envision and chart the course for the future direction of their business or organization. Indeed, the primary role of any leader is to see the organization not as it is, but as it should be. And they must ground the journey forward in the bedrock of a few firm and unalterable principles that are clear to all and that form and bind the culture and spirit of their respective enterprise.
And good leaders must also be ambassadors, taking all regular opportunities to “feel the pulse” of the clients and customers they serve. These should be informal times such as a lunch or dinner where a leader further establishes credibility, trust and a more personal relationship with the customer, listening intently for their emerging needs and wants that his/her organization may better serve.
This ambassadorial skill relates directly to the role of leaders being inventors since, according to King, success in commerce or community requires the ability to develop new products, services, or ideas that will mitigate and solve the above heard or felt problems or issues arising from clients, personnel or associates.
Leaders need to become natural coaches, as well. They must develop an inherent ability to teach and mentor, all the while instilling a culture of learning at all levels of a business or organization. And while they are teachers extraordinaire, the strongest leaders are also students. In particular they are students of leadership, always keeping an open and inquiring mind to new ideas and fresh perspectives, recognizing that for all of us individually and for any organization life is a continuous process of growth and learning.
Finally, leaders must treat all of their efforts, and those of their employees and associates, as an investment of the scarce treasures of time and money, always striving to improve and grow the value and outcome of these most precious invested resources.
I have been fortunate to work with many leaders over the years and, as I am sure each of you have experienced, it is quite apparent when a leader is in our midst. There is no magic formula to being a leader, but there is a general essence about those who consistently take the helm.
Strong leaders possess clarity of purpose and vision which people easily understand and to which they energetically relate. They establish a clear set of firm principles on which they stand steadfast for themselves and the organization. They are driven by ambition, and yet retain an absolute sense of both humility and humanity. Leaders are strong, unique, authentic, and while they demonstrate a healthy ego, they remain humble in the pursuit of always striving to build a better, more sustainable enterprise.
Ultimately, the definition of a true leader in a free society is basic – they are the people whom others follow.
Bill Reed is chair of a Vistage chief executive peer advisory group comprised of members from eastern Rhode Island, the SouthCoast and Greater Boston region. Vistage is the oldest and most experienced peer-to-peer chief executive membership organization dating back to 1957 and has 16,000 members in 15 countries. For more information, please contact bill.reed@vistage.com or (508) 243-6578.