When you picture a successful leader, you may have a clear picture of how that person looks, acts and sounds. A leader is a decisive person with a commanding presence and booming voice, someone who can enter a room and make an immediate impression.
But several less obvious qualities truly indicate whether someone is a strong leader: self-awareness, humility, collaboration, intellectual curiosity and a willingness to grow.
Mark Whitmore, Ph.D., an associate professor of management at Kent State University, whose research focuses on leadership, sees self-awareness as the foundation of true leadership. To lead others, individuals must first understand their own strengths and weaknesses. What’s more, they need to accept those observations and reassess them regularly.
This kind of self-awareness can become more challenging as leaders rise in their professions. Promotions bring greater responsibility and authority, but they can also make it difficult to receive honest feedback – particularly when employees worry about how criticism might affect their relationship with a supervisor.
“I spent a lot of time with CEOs while I was in industry,” Whitmore recollected. “A common observation is that being a CEO is a very lonely position. It is difficult for them to have a candid conversation because people are going to edit what they say to them, yet this is normally how you gain self-awareness, from the people around you.”
Whitmore encourages leaders to be intentional about the workplace culture they create, recommending an open, honest and safe environment where employees feel comfortable expressing different viewpoints without fear. He also advises leaders to value people whose expertise complements or exceeds their own in particular areas.
“Develop the viewpoint that you’re not the smartest person in the room,” Whitmore said. “You want to surround yourself with talent and appreciate what makes your employees so good at what they do.”
From Whitmore’s experience and research, having experts in different areas only serves to make the group stronger. Surrounding yourself with people who are too afraid to speak out against ideas they believe could pose problems can create groupthink, a psychological phenomenon where a group of well-intentioned people makes irrational or flawed decisions because the desire for harmony and conformity overrides critical analysis.
That openness matters even more during turbulent times, through organizational shifts, the introduction of new technology and more. Leaders need employees’ ideas and input, and their own behavior helps determine whether learning becomes part of the culture.
“Leaders cast long shadows,” Whitmore said. “People naturally look to the leader and are influenced by them. If you, as a leader, are not actively engaged in learning, then the people reporting to you are going to see that.”
In addition to their own growth and self-awareness, leaders need to support the development of their team by creating a workplace environment where people feel comfortable learning new skills and adapting. If learning a new skill is important to an employee’s position, leadership should incorporate that into their responsibilities, giving them the time to practice the new skills after training ends.
For alumni building their own leadership skills, Whitmore recommends starting with subjects they tend to avoid. Someone uncomfortable with technology might read about technology; someone who avoids accounting might begin there. He also encourages people to seek perspectives that challenge their own, not necessarily to agree, but to understand how others think and question their own assumptions.
Those habits do not require a title. A future leader can assess a weak spot, invite an honest assessment and make time to learn before taking on greater responsibility.
Top Qualities of a Good Leader
Whitmore’s advice points to habits leaders can practice throughout their careers.
