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10.11

Effective Leadership Traits

How do you know if you are a good leader to your team? How do you know if you are even suited to be a leader?

A survey conducted by CareerBuilder in July 2011 revealed that a staggering 77 percent of workers say they are burned out on their jobs, and 43 percent stated the stress levels on the job have increased substantially in the last six months. In January of 2011, CNN surveyed 1,400 workers in the United States and found that 84 percent are fed up and looking for a new job — mostly due to dissatisfaction with their boss. Despite the recession, employees are looking, and leaders would be wise to take heed of the mounting discontent.

Business books on leadership and pulling performance out of teams abound, but a few common traits are shared by good leaders that stand the test of time. Since the great recession of 2008, the rule with an iron fist approach is no longer effective. Employees aren’t motivated to stay at jobs where they feel little connection or value, so if you are team leader, you must find ways to lead effectively and retain your most valuable asset — your employees.

Here are some traits of a great leader, regardless of gender.

Trait number one:

Solid leaders know their team. They know how to support the team and help them if they fumble. A powerful leader will be honest with her boss about what her direct reports can and can’t do. And realize it’s their responsibility to get the team to the deliverable.  A good leader doesn’t blame the team for short comings.

Trait number two:

Leaders are the most powerful when they are not control freaks. They allow the team to win and to fall and know when to do what. Leveraging the strengths of the team is as important as recognizing the strengths. Collaborative leaders get more mileage and eventually profitability with knowing when to let go. This concept of collaborative leadership has been questioned over the years, particularly with male leaders who have difficulty striking a balance between ‘telling’ and ‘selling’ styles with direct reports. Most of pulling performance is about how the leader approaches the team, not the nuts and bolts of completing a task.

Trait number three:

Great leaders are transparent at times. Disclosure and packing difficult information is the best way to go. Leaders tell direct reports what is going on within the business to an extent, which includes the wins and the failures. They report numbers of productivity to compliment the team, and share when profits are low to gain commitment of the team to work harder. They don’t keep bad news to themselves all the time, and know the delicate balance. Leaders know that people will invent the worst in their heads if you don't tell them, and that will affect their performance...which will affect the leader.

Trait number four:

Great leaders are positive. They are not the bad news guy/gal all the time. In fact, their emotions are neutral. Never overbearing, they know when to smile, when to push and when to embrace. They know when to give a speech and when to let the team struggle to figure it out. They know all their direct report’s quirks individually. Above all they believe in their team, especially on days when they don't believe in themselves.

Trait number five:

Powerful leaders are filled with gratitude. They thank their direct reports and don’t take their efforts for granted. They know they are only as good as the whole of the team. Employees are not robots and frankly couldn’t care less about the boss’s upward advancement.  

There are leaders and there are followers. Both are important to get any project done!

Elizabeth Lions is an Author and Executive Coach and Leadership Expert. Her second book will be released in 2012.She has created and delivered leadership  and transition programs to some of the best high tech companies in the United States. For more about her work, please visit www.elizabethlions.com

Comments may be submitted to todaysengineer@ieee.org.