What makes a leader worth following?
I’ve been thinking about that question a lot lately as I watch many leaders bumble and stumble and others shine and delight the people who look to them for direction.
With a federal election here in Canada now a few weeks past, and a municipal election in less than two weeks, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to get a close-up view of leadership in action. Social media, naturally, also offers in-the-moment commentary to help make sense (or sometimes confuse) what’s happening and what’s at stake.
Sometimes I’m deeply inspired; other times my anger gets the best of me. Regardless, I’m learning a lot about what makes a great leader and I thought I’d share a few key insights I’ve observed.
These five leadership traits are hardly exhaustive, but they are some of the ones that matter most to me.
*Note: if you’re inclined to click away because you don’t have staff or lead a big team, resist the urge. These traits are just as applicable for teachers, parents, community builders and solopreneurs.
*Prefer to listen to the essay part of this instead? Click the play button and then scroll down afterward for the links.
They know themselves well —
The best leaders are self-aware and constantly looking to understand themselves better.
They know their core values and they work to lead from those values daily, even when it’s hard, and even when they don’t want to. These values guide their decision-making, their communications and their priorities.
Great leaders understand their strengths and leverage them to create deeper impact. They also acknowledge their shortcomings (knowing that everyone has them), and either they work to get better at them, minimize the impact of them or hire them out. They don’t avoid their weaknesses or assume they have no blindspots; instead they actively work to ensure they don’t impede action or relationships.
Ultimately, they know that leadership is an inside-out job first, and that it starts with them.
Example: Calgary’s Ward 11 candidate, Kourtney Branagan outlining her leadership style
They’re insatiably curious about the world and the work —
Great leaders are learners. They love to learn about their craft, their industry, themselves and the world.
They ask more questions than they answer. They approach even the toughest situations from a place of curiosity, asking, “What can I learn here?” or “What’s contributing to this situation that we’re not yet seeing?” or “What’s true here, and what am I making up?”
Leaders are readers. They consume information as a tool to deepen their understanding and develop their own sense of empathy.
They stay abreast of what’s happening beyond their four walls, rather than limit the reach of their inputs. They inspire others to stay curious too, rather than harden in the face of challenges and challenging people.
And, they stay open to other people’s ideas instead of assuming theirs are the best or the only options available.
Example: Ted Lasso in my very favourite scene.
They’re humble, vulnerable and willing to say, “I’m sorry.” —
Great leaders don’t make it all about them. They recognize that it’s about being of service to the people they lead not shining the spotlight on themselves for the sake of it.
They also understand that leadership isn’t about knowing it all, nor is it about showing no fear or emotion. They’ll admit when they don’t know the answer rather than try to bluff their way through it, because they know that honesty is what builds trust and psychological safety.
They know that real leadership can be terrifying because it calls on them to show themselves, warts and all, and to risk getting it wrong publicly. But they also know that it’s the only way forward that works.
Great leaders aren’t perfect, and they don’t pretend to be.
Example: Brené Brown on Armored vs Daring Leadership (podcast) part 1 and part 2
They prioritize mental health (their own and others) —
Great leaders prioritize the mental health of everyone they lead, including themselves.
Beyond bottom lines, pressing projects and KPIs, leaders understand that the well-being of their people comes first. They recognize that everyone’s mental health needs are different and always evolving, and that barriers to mental health supports exist. They don’t diminish, minimize or avoid those who express mental health challenges.
Not only do they actively support and champion mental health as a key priority, but they also work to dismantle the systems that stigmatize and undervalue it in the first place.
This work isn’t performative, nor is it a one-time-only promise. It’s an ongoing commitment to the well-being of themselves (oxygen mask on first) and the people they lead. Without it, nothing else matters.
Example: 8 Ways Managers Can Support Employees’ Mental Health
They show up when it counts —
Great leaders show up, no matter what.
Because let’s face it: leadership is easy when things are running well and the stakes are low. It’s exciting to be a leader when projects are humming along, people are happy and the pathway ahead is clear.
It’s when shit hits the fan, the work gets messy, people start complaining, a key decision needs to get made and the stakes are high that showing up gets harder. That’s when the real work of a leader happens, and that starts by being visible.
Beyond problem-solving, course-correcting and if necessary, making amends, a leader has three main jobs in a challenging time:
- Communicate: a leader’s job is to keep people informed by communicating regularly and clearly to avoid confusion, cross-talk and misinformation
- Connect: a leader’s job is to reach out to the people they lead to ensure they have what they need to keep going well and answer questions or concerns
- Calm: a leader’s job is to stay calm and inspire a calm, thoughtful approach no matter how urgent the situation
All three require one core commitment from a leader: to show up, open and ready to listen. For as long as it takes, as often as it takes.
Example: How to Lead in a Crisis
At the end of the day, all five traits carry equal weighting whether you lead a team of people, a handful of contractors, a classroom of kids, an online community or you simply lead yourself.
Despite what we’ve been taught, being a leader worth following isn’t about fancy positions, corner offices or big paychecks, nor is it just about bold ideas, business savvy or brave confidence.
It’s about being human, being humble & being there when it counts.
Steph (she/her)
x
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🎙️ I’ve had the pleasure of working with Kourtney Branagan over the past year as she took on the challenge of running for local office. Kourtney is a candidate for Ward 11 Councillor here in Calgary, with the election coming up on October 18th.
We talk over on my podcast about her political ambitions, the challenges and highlights she’s experienced along the campaign trail and how to get more women involved in politics. It’s an inspiring conversation about politics, leadership and staying true to our values.
You can listen to our interview on my blog here or on Spotify here.
😱 I will be writing about this more because WOW, but this article about the life coaching industry is on fire and on point. Obviously I’m a big proponent of coaching, but in an unregulated industry, it’s ripe for exploitation.
I share this piece partly as a warning signal, but also to highlight the dangers of ‘leadership’ predicated on the idea that the only way to succeed is to become a clone copy of the leader and if you can’t make it work, YOU’RE the problem. Eesh. Makes me ill inside.
Give it a read and hit me up on Twitter if you have thoughts you want to share. I’ll be sharing more of mine soon.
🔥 Desiree Adaway is a truth-teller and a fabulous facilitator. I’m signed up for this free training on October 18th, “Transforming Cultures of Nice.”
Here’s part of the description:
“In many organizations, “nice” is prioritized over giving quality feedback, developing genuine relationships, and participating in constructive conflict.
That “niceness” leads to passive aggression, anxiety, confusion, and a lack of trust. It also leads to avoidance, ostracization, and tone policing.
Cultures of Nice are antithetical to meaningful change work, especially racial equity work. We can’t create racial equity without talking about power and identity, engaging in difficult conversations, and naming what isn’t working in our organizations and what’s causing harm.
In this free training we’re going to cover:
- Characteristics of Cultures of Nice
- Ways that Cultures of Nice thwart DEI and racial equity efforts
- Strategies to transform “nice” cultures to Cultures of Care“
You can learn more and register here.
💯 Because I love some good, public accountability (that’s the Obliger in me), I’m taking part in Jay Clouse’s #Tweet100 challenge. The goal is just as it sounds: to tweet 100 times in a row with something valuable. I’m sharing my leadership thoughts for the hundred days, with a little Ted Lasso mixed in for good measure.
You can follow along with me here, and you can sign up for your own #Tweet100 challenge right here. It’s a fun, community-oriented way to lead in public.
🌝 In my last Leadership Letter, I wrote about Julie Rohr and her being a source of such incredible inspiration right up until she passed away (along with the celebrity videos that lit up Twitter). Today, I’m sharing that Dr. Nadia Chaudri passed away this week at 44 from Ovarian Cancer. Like Julie, Nadia used her platform to bring love, light and generosity to the people around her, including raising over $600,000 for to help fund “an annual scholarship to support the training of neuroscientists from underrepresented backgrounds and honour Nadia Chaudhri’s legacy of academic achievement and mentorship”.
And when she reached 100,000 followers, she used it as an opportunity to speak about her ovarian cancer diagnosis and why we must trust our guts when our bodies feel off.
I encourage you to give it a read.
🍂 It’s Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend, and while we’re keeping things pretty low key this year (again, sigh), that doesn’t mean good food isn’t on the table. My favourite food blogger and community leader, Julie Van Rosendaal, put together this 32-page Thanksgiving recipe book full of great sides (no opt-in required). Enjoy!
Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.
~ Brené Brown
💥THE WEEK IN A GIF
Me hoping that Ted Lasso’s season 2 finale tomorrow night works out. I’m so darn invested in this show after poo-pooing it in the early days. I’m putting in my predictions now (hit reply if you want to send me yours).
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Great leaders are self-aware leaders. They lead with their values. They leverage their strengths and minimize the impact of their shortcomings. They have clear guardrails that protect their time and energy. And they feel the responsibility to make things better and have an impact.
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