“A company is people… people with minds, hearts, and intuition, and a leader must try to engage the whole person. People expect the leader to be a point of intellectual and emotional connection with them,” says Carly Fiorina, former CEO of HP. She is one of the prime examples of effective leaders. Certainly, leadership isn’t just about having certain traits, but there are common and shared attributes found in most effective leaders.
1. Planning
Research shows that a leader spends 80% of their time planning, and 20% executing. They leave nothing to chance.
2. Organization
A leader operates in an organized, disciplined environment, excelling in organization from time management and priorities to their workspace and documents.
3. Decision-Making
Leadership is the art of decision-making. A leader creates events rather than waiting for them to happen.
4. Social Intelligence
A leader is skilled in communicating with others, knowing how to speak and convey their message clearly. They are also a good listener and an excellent conversationalist.
5. Delegation
They know how and when to delegate tasks to others, choosing individuals capable of executing tasks effectively.
6. Visionary Insight
A leader sees what others do not and welcomes criticism of their ideas. They are the ones who draft innovative new plans and instill enthusiasm for these ideas in others.
7. Motivation
A leader can instill enthusiasm and motivation in their team, believing in the power of motivation to harness the capabilities of their people.
8. Knowledge
A leader is highly knowledgeable and educated. They continuously develop themselves through reading, training, and seminars.
9. Confidence
A leader is never insecure. Their confidence in their abilities and principles gives them the strength to handle situations and solve problems.
10. Commitment to Plans
A leader is highly committed to the plans they set, understanding that achieving goals requires effort and time, and that they must stick to the plans until the end, without despair or surrender.
11. Ethical Commitment
This trait is one of the most important and powerful characteristics of a successful leader, especially from an Islamic perspective. A leader cannot achieve worldly or quick gains at the expense of their principles and values. Modern studies confirm that followers strongly engage with a morally committed leader who makes others feel safe.
12. Intellectual Intelligence
A leader does not need to be a genius, but they must possess above-average intelligence that enables them to handle different information and difficult situations.
These are some of the essential traits of a leadership personality. While leadership goes beyond just a set of traits, these attributes are vital and necessary in leadership personalities. Without them, a leader cannot truly stand out.
The image above is of John Chambers, CEO of CISCO. Some of the content in this post is adapted from the book “The Magic of Leadership” by Dr. Ibrahim El-Feki.