Core Qualities of Exceptional Leaders
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” - John Quincy Adams
A simple yet powerful definition of an exceptional leader is a purpose-driven individual who inspires others to be the very best they can be while pursuing a worthy purpose
All great leaders throughout history - be they heads of empires or nations, religious leaders, revolutionaries, business leaders, discoverers - have been able to cause, inspire, and motivate other people to follow them toward a given purpose and goal, and grow and develop people as well.
How does one become an exceptional leader so as to inspire and motivate people to follow and work toward the leader’s goals and purposes? Here are the 17 fundamental qualities of an exceptional leader.
A STRONG, CLEAR PURPOSE AND VISION
Purpose is perhaps the most powerful force in the universe. Throughout history, people have accomplished amazing things and created fantastic results through the sheer power of purpose and purpose alone. Every major advancement in society, every advance in every civilization, every discovery, every revolution, every great religious or political movement, every invention and technological advancement, all philosophies are the result of one thing and one thing only - the purposes of individuals. People respond positively to a constructive, strong and worthwhile purpose that improves other people's quality of life in some way.
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic and power in it.” - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
HIGH INTEGRITY
Integrity is defined as the state of being whole and undivided; the condition of being unified, unimpaired, or sound; lacking corruption; the quality of being honest and ethical. A true leader has high integrity, and stays true to his or her purpose.
A true leader interacts with other people with high integrity and truthfulness, and doesn't play games with his or her people. Exceptional leaders are highly ethical in all ways, and always strive to do the right thing in all situations and circumstances.
High Integrity includes such core values as high ethics, high standards, fairness and doing the best for customers or clients.
“The supreme quality of leadership is integrity.” - Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower
COURAGE AND PERSISTENCE
It takes courage to be an effective leader. Life, society, competition, other people’s intentions, government policies all combine to present a formidable set of barriers to accomplishing one’s goals and purposes. There are plenty of barriers that get in the way of accomplishing goals, and it takes courage to face these barriers and overcome them. It takes persistence toward a purpose and goal, a never-give-up attitude, a willingness to keep moving forward no matter what barriers are in the way and how many setbacks an individual or group has had. In addition, a true leader isn't concerned about what other people think of him or her. The exceptional leader focuses on achieving the purpose.
“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go but ought to.” - Rosalynn Carter
GENUINE EXPERTISE AND HIGH COMPETENCE
A leader who is a true expert in his or her field, and who demonstrates high competence and knowledge, is respected and admired for that one quality alone. Knowing all about a profession or field gives a leader a certain elevation and stature with his or her people. People will usually follow a true expert just because he or she knows so much about the profession and is so competent at all the jobs related to that profession.
“Leadership means that a group, large or small, is willing to entrust authority to a person who has shown judgment, wisdom, personal appeal and proven competence.” - Walt Disney
ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WELL
A leader who communicates the goals and purposes clearly and completely will motivate and inspire his or her people to work toward those same goals and purposes. Leaders learn how to communicate in such a way that their people fully understand the goals and the plans to achieve those goals, understand how their jobs contribute to those purposes and goals, and understand what is expected of them.
Exceptional leaders also make sure their people are fully acknowledged and given credit for their help, contributions and successes.
“He who can truly communicate to others is a higher being who builds new worlds.” - L. Ron Hubbard
GENUINE CARE AND UNDERSTANDING FOR THEIR PEOPLE
Exceptional leaders genuinely care about their people and their people’s well-being. Exceptional leaders communicate with their people so as to learn and understand their points of view, their realities, any situation or struggles they face, their strengths and weaknesses - but only to help their people, never to use those things against them. Great leaders work to understand their people for positive and constructive reasons, and then work to guide them in the right direction, guide them through any difficulties, and help them grow and develop.
Understanding others does not mean the leader tolerates negative or counter-productive behavior or actions, or alters course toward the purpose - leaders never lose sight of the purpose. Good leaders do not tolerate counter-productive or detrimental behavior, as they know this hurts everyone in the group.
Understanding others allows leaders to provide genuine help, guidance and direction to their people as needed. The best leaders consider people part of their family.
“If you want to improve the organization, you have to improve yourself and the organization gets pulled up with you.” - Indra Nooyi
WILLINGNESS TO MAKE THE HARD YET CORECT DECISIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE GROUP
An unwillingness to make hard but necessary decisions causes the entire group to suffer. An executive who cannot take the right action for fear that he or she will be thought less of by others, is a weak and failing executive. The exceptional leader does not try to please everyone. Trying to please everyone is a sure road to failure. Instead, the effective leader works for the good of the entire organization as this in turn will generate the most success, job satisfaction, and professional rewards for his or her people. Hard decisions include weeding out of the organization any negative, detrimental or counter-productive people who harm or hold back the organization in any way.
“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.” - Gen. Douglas MacArthur
"I can’t give you a sure-fire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time." - Herbert Bayard Swope
EMPOWERING PEOPLE BY INVITING AND ENCOURAGING THEIR IDEAS, IMAGINATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS
Most people (80%) are good, constructive and caring, and want to do a good job. Good people respond well to the truth, they respond well to positive direction and coordination. Such people respond especially well to requests and invitations to help and contribute. What is most remarkable about good people is how well they rise to any occasion, if they are simply asked and encouraged to do so. Exceptional leaders invite and inspire their people to come up with good ideas and develop better ways of doing things. Good people are an organization’s greatest asset, so why not empower them to be the best they can be?
Any organization is infinitely stronger and more prosperous if everyone in the organization can contribute their ideas, observations, and solutions to the group.
“Surround yourself with the best people you can find, delegate authority, and don’t interfere as long as the policy you’ve decided upon is being carried out.” - Ronald Reagan
“Leaders instill in their people a hope for success and a belief in themselves. Positive leaders empower people to accomplish their goals.” - Unknown
INSPIRING AND DEVELOPING PEOPLE TO BE THEIR VERY BEST
The best leaders create a positive environment which encourages people to develop and become the very best they can be. Exceptional leaders provide an atmosphere of creativity and challenge that brings out the very best in people. Exceptional leaders make sure all people in the group receive any needed training and knowledge.
“Everyone has a purpose in life and a unique talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the ecstasy and exultation of own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of all goals.” - Kallam Anji Reddy
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” - Ronald Reagan
A TOTAL, UNCONDITIONAL BELIEF AND CONFIDENCE IN GOOD PEOPLE, THEIR POWER AND THEIR CAPABILITIES.
Good people have far, far more positives than negatives. Therefore, far more attention and concentration should be placed on the positives. And, good people have a great deal of inner, native power and amazing capabilities deep down - even if they are not aware of them.
Exceptional leaders know and believe this about their people, and have great confidence in them. Exceptional leaders reinforce and strengthen the positives in people, and keep a lid on their negatives. Exceptional leaders recognize the true value in all their people, and encourage their people to grow and enhance their skills and abilities.
“People have amazing power and unlimited capabilities locked inside. Total belief in people and the right, effective training unleash these potentials.” - Joseph Kerner
INSISTENCE ON AND DEMANDING THE VERY BEST AND HIGHEST STANDARDS FROM PEOPLE
An exceptional leader is the perfect blend of love and caring for his or her people, while also demanding that they be the best they can be and produce at a high quality level. After all, the whole point of being a leader is to achieve some goal and purpose, to actually get things done, to accomplish something, to create a desired end result. It’s a tough world out there, and will eat a weak individual or organization. In order to accomplish one’s goals and purposes, the exceptional leader insists that his or her people be competent and produce excellent end results. The exceptional leader demands that a high standard be set and followed.
But none of this is done harshly, or with arrogance, or by bullying, or by yelling or degrading others, or by being mean and nasty, or pitting people against each other, or any other negative element. Insistence on and demanding the very best and a high standard are done with all the other qualities given here - and in a very positive, inspiring, encouraging, understanding, and patient manner and attitude.
“The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.” - Ray Kroc
ABILITY TO GET THINGS DONE
Exceptional leaders have the ability to get things done. This goes along with expertise and competence in one’s field. The leader who is personally a strong producer and who gets good results consistently, who knows his or her business and exercises good judgment is automatically respected by others. People will tend to follow someone who can get the job done himself or herself, someone who is a proven winner and success.
“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” - Walt Disney
“A great person attracts great people and knows how to hold them together.” - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
MOTIVATING OTHERS TO GET THINGS DONE
While it’s true and ideal that a leader be an expert in his or her field, it’s equally important that a leader know his or her duties and responsibilities as an executive and leader. One of the major roles of a leader is to get his or her people to do their jobs well, to the highest standard and performance. This includes making sure that his or her people receive the most effective training that develops them to their fullest potentials. The end result of all a leader's work is a productive, efficient, high-morale, low-stress group of competent professionals that is united, motivated and working as a coordinated, efficient team dedicated to accomplishing its goals.
“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” - Theodore Roosevelt
“If you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.” - Steve Jobs
DILIGENCE AND VIGILANCE
It is remarkable how many organizations allow decreased sales or revenues, declining stock values, loss of market share, loss of influence, loss of power, failure to reach goals - all due to simply a lack of diligence and vigilance on the part of top management.
The definition of diligence is conscientiousness in paying proper attention to a task; giving the degree of care required in a given situation; persevering determination to perform a task.
The definition of vigilance is carefully observant and attentive; carefully noticing problems or signs of danger, alertly watching and monitoring, especially to avoid danger.
The exceptional leader is constantly diligent and vigilant in applying the fundamental principles and successful actions in his or her organization, and seeing to it that these are carried out by all people at all times. The exceptional leader also recognizes danger signs and takes the correct and appropriate action; he or she doesn’t ignore or brush off such signs.
“One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.” - Arnold Glasow
“Opportunities don't happen. You create them.” - Chris Grosser
THE OPTIMUM BALANCE OF FLEXIBILITY AND DECISIVENESS
The exceptional leader is flexible and secure enough to invite the help, cooperation, contributions, and ideas of his or her people, and then implement these as appropriate. As already stated above, most people are good, constructive and capable, and most people want to do a good job. It takes some courage and confidence to allow one’s people to contribute their ideas, imaginations, abilities and judgment, and to give people enough discretion and latitude to grow and help the business grow.
At the same time, an effective leader is also decisive. At some point, a good leader makes decisions after he or she has briefed the team and gotten all their observations and ideas, and has analyzed and evaluated the situation and ideas. Once the leader is certain as to the correct course of action, he or she makes that decision and carries it out. Exceptional leaders don’t allow themselves to be negatively influenced or distracted off course. They can always change course if the situation changes or if they get new and relevant information that demands a change in plans. But a leader ultimately must make decisions and carry them out to their desired end results.
In this way, the exceptional leader is the perfect blend of flexibility and decisiveness.
“Management is, above all, a practice where art, science, and craft meet.” - Henry Mintzberg
GIVE POSITIVE DIRECTION AND COORDINATION
A good leader issues only positive direction and orders, all leading toward the goals and purposes, and which do the most to keep people focused on reaching the intended goals and purposes. The exceptional leader coordinates people and resources in the most efficient and productive manner possible. Exceptional leaders never lose their cool. They never belittle, demean or in any other way bring down any member of their team. Good leaders are never harsh, loud, arrogant, threatening, sarcastic or any other negative attitude or emotion. Directives are issued with positiveness, with confidence, with understanding, with a positive attitude and with patience.
“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand.” - Colin Powell
FAIR JUSTICE, DISCIPLINE AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Great leaders have a good sense of justice and fairness.
They take care not to make accusations without knowing all the facts.
They seek to find out the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
They never fly off the handle or jump to conclusions based on one report or one person’s story. The exceptional leader doesn’t assume that what he or she hears the first time is true; exceptional leaders verify the facts and truth before taking any disciplinary action.
Great leaders are fair and keep their cool while getting the entire story. They work to make sure that all disciplinary decisions and actions are based on the truth, fair justice and what is best for the organization.
98% of all mistakes, false information, dropped balls and incorrect actions are the result of some misunderstanding, lack of comprehension or mis-communication, one way or another. Only 2% of mistakes or false information are intentional.
Exceptional leaders understand this, and so never assume malice or bad intentions when someone does something out of line. So discipline is applied only 2% of the time. The other 98% of cases, the answer is to sort out the misunderstandings and misinterpretations with good communication.
And/or provide training as needed to resolve any lack of knowledge or non-comprehensions about their job or company policies.
Good leaders also ensure that company philosophy, policies, "do's and don'ts" are clearly written out - and all employees know these well.
However, exceptional leaders don't hesitate to apply whatever discipline is necessary - to include termination. This is part of the quality presented above: WILLINGNESS TO MAKE THE HARD YET CORECT DECISIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE GROUP
“Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm.” - Publilius Syrus
"You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing things with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass. - Warren Buffet