Ten Attributes of High Performing Leaders
I was asked yesterday by a CEO client to list what I thought were the essential characteristics of high performing leaders and team members. After giving a disclaimer about high levels of competency and a deep expertise in their respective areas, I provided my top ten list of suggested attributes for leadership and team effectiveness.
Passion: Successful leaders and team members have one idea that has grabbed hold of them and won’t let go. They can genuinely, enthusiastically and readily talk about their idea and the linkage to an uplifting and desirable future. They are passionate communicators and use powerful language to infuse hope and optimism in others.
Curiosity: Successful leaders and team members have a deep curiosity about people and what makes them tick. They are continuously looking at and discussing how to build greater effectiveness with and through people as well as technology. They are also curious about their brand and are committed to enhancing it. Their curiosity has them traveling to diverse places, reading broadly and being intellectually engaged both at work and at home.
Courage: Successful leaders and team members have the courage to turn their back on what has made them successful in the past. They still experience fear but see courage as essential for accomplishing something noteworthy. They embrace their fears and move forward confidently knowing they are smart enough to learn and grow from whatever they experience.
Credibility: Successful leaders and team members recognize that being able to make a contribution takes personal influence. They know that people will willingly follow them only if people believe them to be authentic, credible and believable. They agree with the admonition that people only believe the message if they first believe the messenger, and in turn they strive to be exceptional role models.
Urgency: Successful leaders and team members have a healthy dissatisfaction with their current performance. They are continuously thinking bigger about their own personal leadership as well as their role in creating a culture of continuous learning, experimentation and risk taking. They also believe that speed coupled with passionate dedication can achieve something noteworthy.
Ownership: High performing teams have members who take responsibility not only for the performance of the team, but they also take complete responsibility for the quality of their personal and professional lives. Simply put, there are no victims on high performing teams. The prevailing mindset is one of “what can I do to make a difference and if I can’t make a difference then I need to make an exit from the team.”
Tenacity: Successful leaders and teams don’t give up. Once they have a clearly defined desired future (one they are passionate about and have the courage to pursue) they exhibit deep reserves of resolve and determination. They believe in progress not perfection and are tenacious in the face or adversity.
Agility: The world of work demands that leaders and team members be comfortable with ambiguity and that they don’t expect all aspects of their work to be expressed in black and white terms. They have the ability focus intently while remaining open to recalibrating their course of action whenever they learn of a better course of action.
Discernment: The ability to filter large amounts of information and determine the one or two most salient actionable points is essential for leaders and teams. Effective leaders listen to gain information, ask questions to understand diverse points of view, and act confidently even in the face of competing ideas and or demands.
Results Focused: Successful leaders and team members recognize the difference between taking action and getting results. Their focus is on results and use all of the preceding traits and characteristics to drive their team, department or organization forward.
I have three questions for you:
Which of the ten attributes do you do best?
Which one challenges you the most?
If you could leverage your greatest strength more while also reducing the effects of the attribute you feel challenges you, what impact would that have on your performance?
