Many people are interested in answering the question: “What makes a great leader?”. What would you answer to that question? There are many lists of these traits written by others. These are quotes taken from an article by Bill George former chairman and CEO of Medtronic. According to him the most important trait is to be yourself! As you will see many of the traits of leadership require a great degree of self knowledge. Great leaders know themselves so they can be themselves.
1. Authenticity “After years of studying leaders and their traits, I believe that leadership begins and ends with authenticity.”
2. Desire to Serve Others “Authentic leaders genuinely desire to serve others through their leadership.”
3. Empowering People “They are more interested in empowering the people they lead to make a difference than they are in power, money, or prestige for themselves.”
4. Guided by Heart, passion and compassion “They are as guided by qualities of the heart, by passion, and compassion, as they are by qualities of the mind.”
5. Recognize their shortcomings “Authentic leaders use their natural abilities, but they also recognize their shortcomings and work hard to overcome them.”
6. Lead with Purpose “They lead with purpose, meaning and values.”
7. Build Enduring Relationships “They build enduring relationships with people.”
8. Clear Where They Stand “Others follow them because they know where they stand.”
9. Refuse to Compromise “When principles are tested, they refuse to compromise.”
10. Develop Themselves “Authentic leaders are dedicated to developing themselves because they know that becoming a leader takes a lifetime of personal growth.”
