What Traits Do Leaders Have And How Do The Use Them?

What Traits Do Leaders Have, and How Do They Use Them to Maximize

Their Potential? 

I was reviewing some of my old Gallup materials the other day and came across some things that are excellent “food for thought” for all of us if we want to become known as some of the best leaders.

 

As many of you may recall, there are 20 Leadership Traits that a leader can be evaluated on according to Gallup.  While no individual has all 20, it is a good idea to understand them and to have a good balanced team that does have all 20.

 

I have a few of these traits, and I am missing many of them as well—but I assure you that  when I was working that my team had all of them as a group, with plenty to spare.

 

If you ever wanted to know why diversity is so important, this is one way to look at it.  Diversity of talent on a team is critical if that team is going to thrive and not simply prevail.

 

These leadership traits fall into five themes, which are:

 

1) Direction:

 How do the best Leaders provide direction for self and for others?

 

2) Drive to Execute and Motivate:

How do the best Leaders inspire excellence and make things happen when they motivate?

 

3) Drive to Execute and Activate:

How do the best Leaders inspire excellence and make things happen when they activate?

 

4) Relationships:

How do the best leaders maximize their human resources?

 

5) Management:

How do the best leaders manage their time, their environment, and their results?

 

I will review these over the next five posts  in my blog. Today I will review # 1 Setting Direction.

 

No. 1:  DIRECTION

 

Where are we going, why are we going there, and how exactly will we get there?

 

Vision:  The capacity to create and project beneficial images to be achieved into the future.

 

Leaders With Vision:

• Create and project beneficial images to be achieved in the future.
• Communicate their ideas that inspire dedication.
• Talk about how their company’s future will impact the guest.
• May help associates find purpose in their work and bring a common synergy to identified goals.

 

Concept:  The need to explain the events in one’s life parsimoniously; to have the best explanation of most events, using your words sparingly.

 

Let me save you some time going to look for your dictionary and defining the word parsimoniously.  This means that you can provide an easy-to-understand explanation for things, using a few well-chosen words.  I guess in today’s slang . . . “you get it” and can explain it easily.  This word is about four to six letters longer than most words that I know.

 

Example:  Why do we do the Cast Excellence Leadership Survey? 

Answer:  Because when you involve others and ask their opinions, they become more committed.  When you ignore others and don’t involve them, you have problems.  Just look at the civil wars around the world.

 

Leaders With Concept:

• Have a conceptual framework through which they explain events.
• Always explain why—convey to associates the reasons for action and decisions.
• Read to expand their knowledge base and understanding.
• Can more easily incorporate new ideas into existing business.

 Focus:

Focus-goal oriented:  The ability to take a direction, maintain that direction, and make corrections when necessary.

 

Leaders With Focus:

• Have clear, specific goals, which guide their actions day to day.
• Set priorities and spend time on the right activities.
• Have definite role models/mentors whom they emulate.
• Make their expectations clear to associates.

 

Ego Drive:  The striving to define oneself as a significant person.

 

Leaders With Ego Drive:

• See themselves as significant.
• Seek challenge/risk through which to prove themselves.
• Will lay claim to significant accomplishments.

 On Friday I will review #2 Drive To Execute and Motivate

Have a good weekend everyone…….Lee