Characteristics of a Good Leader

I often begin many of my trainings with a simple question: what are the characteristics of a good leader? It’s a simple question that can elicit an infinite number of responses from those in attendance, but the outcome is always the same. The things that we value most in a good leader have very little to do with aptitude and more to do with the person’s attitude.

Attitude vs. Aptitude

Everyone has at least few adjectives they would use to describe a good leader and some of the most common responses include confident, empathetic, compassionate, appreciative, fair, flexible, honest, courageous, and passionate. There is one common theme to all these responses; they have nothing to do with an individual’s abilities or skill level in their field of work and everything to do with attitude. It’s also interesting to note that none of these characteristics are unique to any particular field or discipline; they are applicable to leaders of all types and in all situations.

“Work Harder on Yourself Than You Do on Your Job” – Jim Rohn

Attitudes are not taught in high school or college and are likely not what got you the job in the first place (skill and experience usually are the deciding factors) but they are what will take you to the next level. Whether it’s a promotion or growing your own business, your leadership and ultimately your attitude will be one of the most important factors to your success. For this reason, it is imperative that we all take time for self-development and improvement. Read books, listen to podcasts, attend leadership trainings and events, and learn from the people around you.

Upcoming Opportunity – “REAL Leadership”

My upcoming full day training “REAL Leadership” tackles this topic head on and will leave you with the skills to be a better leader in all aspects of your life. The Four Elements of Success are REAL and to be a REAL success it is imperative to build better RELATIONSHIPS with others, to take others to a higher level by EQUIPPING them for success, to understand the effect your ATTITUDE has, and to improve it through daily practice, LEADING others to where you are and beyond.