Here’s a distillation of traits I have admired about great leaders I have studied, worked or interacted with, in no particular order. I intend this to be an evolving list.
Leaders maintain a high talent density. They hold a high bar during recruiting and aggressively let go of low performers. They are willing to live with the pain of an empty seat over a mediocre hire
Leaders typically violate at least one of the standard management axioms
Leaders are clear on the final destination of where they want to go. The exact route may evolve on the way
Leaders can oscillate between operating at the vision and the lowest tactical level as the situation demands
Leaders are not conflict-averse. They have hard conversations quickly. The longer it lingers, the worse it gets
Leaders raise the bar for their peer orgs as much as they do for their own1
Leaders use a combination of data and gut to make decisions. They know one without the other isn’t sufficient
Leaders build and refine systems continuously. They are never done. Success isn’t just the outcomes. The success is in the system that produces the outcomes2
Leaders think from first principles. They know every company & market is different and know what is transferable from their past vs not. They are truth seekers
Leaders are decisive and consider the whole picture. Everyone views the world differently. It’s up to the leader to seek to understand the varying points of view (PoV) and reconcile them into a decision. Sometimes you can’t reconcile PoVs and that’s okay. They still make a decision based on their knowledge and get the team to commit to it
Leaders raise the ceiling vs the floor. It’s one thing to say this is the minimum bar, it’s another thing to say, THIS is the bar we all need to operate in. Leaders often do the latter.
Leaders are comfortable operating in ambiguity. They know perfect data is a myth
Leaders are energy-givers
Leaders care… about everything. Almost maniacal
Notes