Top 5 Leadership Qualities

There is a big difference between being a boss and being a leader. This is something most of us understand, but for some reason when people are promoted to a supervisory role, they take on the boss persona rather than becoming a leader. Employers exacerbate the issue by failing to properly train supervisors. There appears to be this idea that when someone is promoted they are automatically a good leader. This idea is costing employers a lot of money by causing employee dissatisfaction, which results in reduced productivity and higher rates of turnover.

There have been many books and articles written on leadership and I cannot, nor do I want to, dive deep into the topic with this article. My goal is to outline what I believe are the top 5 qualities of leaders. The list is not in any particular order.

1. A Leader Leads by Example

Although this list is not in any particular order, I do feel it is necessary to discuss this first. Too often, I see individuals in leadership positions living by the adage “do as I say, not as I do.” They set high expectations for their staff but not for themselves. This is one of the fastest ways to lose the respect of your employees. Practice what you preach! You should model the behavior that you want from your employees. No one expects you to be perfect, you’re only human, but they do expect you to make an effort and hold yourself to the same, if not higher, standard that you do others.

I had a colleague at an organization I worked for that was great at his job. He was a hard worker, dedicated, and smart. He taught me a lot about the job and quickly rose to a leadership position. The problem was he often worked off the clock (he was an hourly employee) or worked over 12 hours a day (which was against company policy). When I first started, I noticed these things and he would tell me to not be like him. He made it very apparent that it was okay for him to break the rules, but no one else should. Since he was good at his job he was quickly promoted to a leadership position where he was required to enforce the rules he usually broke. It was difficult for the staff to take him seriously when he would criticize them for doing the same things that he did before being promoted. Although he was not in an official leadership position when he broke the rules, the employees did look to him to set an example. Additionally, he was on track to be promoted and should have realized that breaking the rules would damage his credibility once he was.

2. Leaders Are Not Afraid to Work “In the Trenches”

This concept may sound very similar to number one but goes a little bit further. Leaders are not afraid to get their hands dirty and do tasks outside their job description (what bosses may view as “beneath them”). Leaders know when their employees need help and will step in to provide assistance. They realize that they are part of a team and every member of that team has a responsibility to support one another. No Leader should ever say, “That’s not my job.”

When I was in Afghanistan, my Company Commander often went out, and stayed out, in the field with us. I remember one mission where we were out in the middle Afghanistan for a week or so. No one had anticipated being out there for as long as we were and we were running low on supplies. Our Commander called another detachment of Marines to relieve us, but instead of returning with us, he stayed. I am sure he was tired of eating MRE’s and sleeping in the dirt, but he understood that he needed to lead from the front. His Marines needed to see that he would not put them in a situation he was not willing to be in himself. That man shaped how I view and practice leadership to this day.

3. Leaders Support Development

Leaders are not afraid of their employees’ development. They seek to understand their employees’ goals and, when possible, put them into positions to help them achieve those goals. Leaders understand that when their employees are supported and permitted to work on their goals, they are happier and more productive. It is true that as employees develop professionally, they may outgrow the department or company; however, leaders understand that the positive outcomes (i.e. loyalty, increased productivity, increased employee satisfaction etc.) outweigh the possible negative outcomes (i.e. turnover). In fact, it is possible that focusing on employee development can actually reduce turnover.

In one of my wife’s units (she is in the military), she had an individual in her chain of command who made sure she had opportunities to develop. He mentored her and put her in positions that would allow her to develop professionally. He pushed her to go to various schools and participate in different competitions. This led to her meeting many other military leaders that have spoken with her about working for their unit. It eventually led to her dream job and she had to leave the unit. However, he did not worry about her leaving, in fact, he encouraged her to take the new opportunity. He understood that to have productive employees you need to make sure they are satisfied and one of the best ways to do that is make sure they are challenged. He helped her reach her goals, which increased her happiness and she worked very hard for him and the unit while she was there.

4. Leaders Coach, Not Discipline

Although leaders issue discipline, or other sorts of recorded corrective feedback, it is the way they do it that is key. Leaders recognize that discipline or corrective action is not meant to be strictly punitive. When they have to use it, they take the time to have a conversation with the employee and coach them, in hopes of correcting the behavior. The goal is to get the employee to meet expectations, not just have a paper trail that can be used later to discharge them. Leaders do not rely on corrective action to control behavior; they take an active role in the process of correcting negative behavior. Leaders not only set expectations but they work with the employee to formulate a plan.

When I helped manage a non-profit, I ran reports on the data that was collected regarding my employees. This data covered all aspects of their job and allowed me to identify areas of improvement. There were times that it was apparent an employee was not completing a part of their job. Instead of disciplining them, I brought the issue to their attention and together we formulated a plan to correct it. By working together, rather than simply disciplining them, I was able to correct the issue while keeping them motivated. Although I have issued disciplinary feedback, it is not my first choice.

5. Leaders Insulate Their Teams

Leaders need to be honest with their teams but they also need to insulate them from some of the high-level issues and harsh criticisms. Leaders need to be able to take the “heat” from their superiors and filter it in a way that helps reduce demotivation. Great leaders can even motivate their team by filtering it in such a way that gives them a new perspective on the issues. Leaders need to be honest but they do not need to be so transparent that they regurgitate every criticism they receive. They say “shit rolls downhill,” but it does not have to. Leaders have an obligation to build their team up and to provide constructive feedback; they should never try to tear down an employee.

One of the best supervisor’s I have had was great at protecting her team from some of the harsh criticisms and stressful realities of the job. Where she struggled was framing it in a constructive way that would help guide the team in the right direction. I had a lot of respect for her but others did not because they felt she never gave them any constructive feedback. Most employees are not naive; they know they are not perfect. A leader needs to insulate them, but does not need to shy away from feedback. When you find that balance, your team will begin having a deeper respect for you.

Becoming a leader rather than a boss is important and employers should work on creating programs to facilitate this. Giving someone a promotion into a supervisory position without training is unfair to supervisors and their employees, as well as, detrimental to the company’s bottom line. Additionally, employers should not feel like they need to retain poor leaders. Just because someone has been in a supervisory role, does not mean they are a leader or will have a positive impact on your company. Climate surveys can be beneficial, when implemented properly, in determining whether a department is succeeding because of the supervisors or despite them. By taking inventory of your supervisors, you may discover that some who have experience on paper are ineffective in practice; these individuals are bosses not leaders. If training is unsuccessful then it may be time for them to consider a non-supervisory role.

Do you agree or disagree with this list? What qualities do you believe differentiates leaders and bosses? Share your thoughts in the comments!