The 12 Traits of Highly Effective Leaders (How do you rate?)

 

 

It's a fact that finding, keeping and developing great people isn’t easy. However, finding, keeping and developing highly effective leaders is even harder. 

What employees and employers expect of leaders has changed drastically in recent times. With new styles of leadership required, we need to revisit what we expect of leaders, how we coach them and how we measure the impact of learning and development initiatives

What makes a highly effective leader? 

Google set out to find out with a thorough research process they called Project Oxygen. Back in 2010 (Updated in 2022), an internal team of researchers launched Project Oxygen – an effort to determine what makes a leader great at Google. From this research, they identified eight behaviors that are common among their highest performing leaders and incorporated them into our manager development programs. By publicizing and training leaders on these eight behaviors, they saw an improvement in management at Google and team outcomes like turnover, satisfaction, and performance over time.

The list of 12 traits includes Google's findings as well as my own informal research based on twenty-five years of developing leaders at every level in a variety of companies, organizations and industries.

I'd suggest as you review each trait to give yourself a 1-5 rating as to the degree you exhibit the trait in conversations and actions with your direct reports and peers. 

1=inconsistent and choppy, 5=consistent and flawless. 

If you want even better data ask your direct reports and peers to rate you. Then set up a meeting to discuss their perspective and yours.

The 12 Traits of Highly Effective Managers

Caring  [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
Leaders who are caring take time to get to know the individuals in their team. They’re genuinely interested in people’s success and personal well-being and show this by regularly checking in with people on how they’re going both at work and outside work.

“I’d consider speaking with my manager if I was thinking about leaving”
 Example employee quote

Results-oriented  [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
Leaders who are results oriented ensure that performance standards are maintained They work with team members to help remove blockers impeding tasks being completed and help the team get workable outcomes from team meetings.

“My manager helps me remove or work around things stopping me getting work done.”
 Example employee quote

Coaching [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
Leaders who are good coaches focus on developing the people they work with as well as getting the job done. They ensure they have regular one-on-one meetings with team members and encourage them to present solutions to problems, rather than solving problems for them.

“I regularly get feedback from my manager that I can put to use.”
 Example employee quote

Communicating [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
Leaders who are great communicators are good listeners. They allow time for others to speak. They have a clear understanding of the organization’s vision and share it with the people in their team in a way that motivates them. They keep their team up-to-date on what’s happening in the organization.

“My manager communicates a vision that motivates me.”
 Example employee quote

Fostering innovation [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
Leaders who foster innovation empower their teams to make decisions – and learn from failures and achievements. They don’t micromanage people. They encourage innovative ideas and approaches and help people to implement them.

“My manager helps me take my innovative ideas from concept to action.”
 Example employee quote

Vision and goal setting [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
A leader ensures the vision and strategy of the organization is translated into an actionable vision and strategy for the team. They help people understand how their role contributes to the organization’s success.

“My manager helps us set a clear strategy for achieving our goals.”
 Example employee quote

Development [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
Leaders ho show a genuine interest in employees’ career development acknowledge improvement (not just deliverables). They take time to discuss people’s long-term career aspirations and help them understand potential career paths at and outside the organization.

“My manager frequently recognizes progress I make, not just results.”
 Example employee quote

Emotionally resilient [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
How a leader behaves in challenging circumstances can have a significant impact on their team. Leaders who are emotionally resilient are aware of how their mood affects others. They remain calm and productive under pressure and cope well with change.

“My manager stays calm when we’re under the gun.”
 Example employee quote

Technical capability [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
Leaders with the required technical capability add value to their teams. They can roll up their sleeves and work alongside the team when necessary. They empathize with the challenges the team face and have the necessary skills to help devise solutions.

“My manager has the technical know-how to help our team.”
 Example employee quote

Fair treatment [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
Leaders who value fair treatment will allocate tasks and set schedules keeping in mind people’s capacity and development goals. They acknowledge good work. They build a diverse and inclusive team and encourage diversity of thought.

“My manager makes sure that my ideas and work are attributed to me.”
 Example employee quote

Overall leader effectiveness [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
Leaders who are effective help people stay motivated to do their best work. They make the people they manage feel valued and supported. They feel they’re successful when the employees they manage are successful. People willingly recommend them as a good leader.

“My manager is effective and motivates me to do my best work.”
 Example employee quote

Humility [1. 2. 3. 4. 5.]
Leaders who are humble have an insatiable curiosity about the world and people around them. They have a secure sense of self-their validation doesn't come from something external but is based on their true nature. Leaders who are humble are able to shed their ego, because their authentic self is much greater than looking good, needing to have all the answers or being recognized by one's peers.

“My manager is quick to share the credit when things go right and quick to accept the responsibility when things go wrong."
Example employee quote

Personal growth and by extension leadership growth, doesn't happen automatically because people have experiences or work long hours. Leadership development must be planned, deliberate and consistent.

Commit to a three-month personal leadership development plan. Select a different trait to focus on each week. Be intentional about the small daily actions that you can take to exhibit more of each trait.

Small daily actions can work for us, or against us. It’s up to us to choose which. Over time they can have a massive impact.

In the words of Warren Bennis, "leadership doesn't happen in a day, it happens daily."

And former boxer, Joe Frazier remarked, "Champions aren't made champions in the ring, they're merely recognized there. If you cheat in the early morning hours of your road work, you're going to be found out under the bright lights."

 Check out a related post: The Staggering Cost of Bad Managers (5 min read)

To your greater success and fulfillment.

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

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