Jeffrey Barden identifies five core characteristics of an exceptional leader.
Management discipline, technical acumen, and experience all play a role in the kinds of results an organization’s leader is able to achieve. Good leaders can be relied on to consistently bring groups of people together to achieve common goals in a normal operating environment. Thoughtful plans, careful resource management, and regular communication enable good leaders to guide their teams to deliver high quality results, on time, within budget, and in-line with plan. Staffing management positions with good leaders is a cornerstone of running a high performing business.
However, exceptional leaders are those who stand out in a crisis, when the normal operating rhythm is disrupted and the risks become more acute. Uncertainty compresses timelines, challenges assumptions, and presents new variables that can invalidate the best of plans and unsettle staff and other stakeholders.
Despite these circumstances, exceptional leaders are able to steer an organization through a crisis because they have something more than business expertise and leadership skills: they have “character.”
There are five core qualities that I believe serve as foundational characteristics of an exceptional leader:
Vision – a leader has a forward-looking sense of purpose and communicates it effectively.
Integrity – a leader speaks truthfully, acts reliably, and takes accountability.
Courage – a leader measures risks but is also willing to make hard decisions and act.
Awareness – a leader recognizes and adapts to the relative strengths and weaknesses in self and others.
Resilience – a leader has the drive to succeed in all circumstances, and the fortitude to be the source of stability in the face of adversity.
Key points include:
- How character affects the team
- Coordinated team execution
- Mobilizing team strengths
Read the full article, Character: The Crucial Aspect Of Exceptional Leaders, on LinkedIn.