One of the daunting challenges of business ownership and management is that of becoming an effective leader.  The role of an owner and manager is difficult enough with just running the daily operations of a business; adding to that the necessity of being an effective leader for your team presents a whole new set of challenges.  Much of the difficulty comes with all the ‘hats’ that owners and managers choose to wear each day, which ultimately leads to burnout and loss of focus.    

In one of my favorite books, “E-Myth Revisited”, Michael Gerber discusses three roles most small business owners play – the Technician, the Manager and the Entrepreneur.  The Technician role is usually the most comfortable role and therefore gets the most attention and focus, while leaving the Manager and Entrepreneur roles to suffer.  This has a direct impact on the leadership of the organization.  With so much time being absorbed in doing the work of the business (the Technician role), little, if any, time is left to be the leader (which usually falls into the Manager and/or Entrepreneur roles.)  In addition, many owners and managers lack the training, knowledge and skills needed to develop themselves into effective leaders.

There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of books that have been written on leadership.  Out of all the leadership books I’ve personally read and all the leadership training I have received, I have compiled a list of several characteristics that seem to be common denominators among great leaders.  I also have had the privilege to work for and know many great leaders through personal experience that exude these same qualities.  While these attributes are certainly not a comprehensive list, they provide a solid basis from which aspiring leaders can and should embrace in their quest to develop the traits that embody great leaders.   

Vision – Leaders have great vision.  They have absolute clarity on what they want, why they want it, and know how to effectively communicate their vision to their team in a fashion that elicits cooperation and support.  I personally believe that vision is one of the most important attributes of a great leader and can compensate for the lack of other leadership skills. 

Passion - Leaders love what they do and must communicate their passion to enroll and inspire others to action.   

Trust – Developing trust is more of a product of leadership than an ingredient of it. Trust is the one quality that cannot be acquired; it must be earned.

Willing to take risks – Great leaders are curious and daring.  They have a thirst for knowledge and learning.  They are willing to take risks, to experiment and consistently embrace a spirit of continuous improvement and innovation.  They also extract knowledge and wisdom from every mistake and they learn from adversity.

Communicate Clearly – Effective leaders don’t mince words and they’re not afraid to have difficult conversations.  They always keep their people in the loop and they have nothing to hide.

Decision Maker – Leaders learn to make tough decisions based on sound principles, many times having little information.  They clearly understand their role is not to win a popularity contest; it’s about getting results and doing the right thing.

Congruency – Leaders are congruent (i.e., they walk the talk).  Certainly they make mistakes, but in all their actions they remain consistent with the principles and values they teach and adhere to.

Integrity – Last, and certainly not least, leaders must act with integrity in every action.    Leaders know their strengths and weaknesses.  They accentuate their strengths and compensate for their weaknesses by leveraging other people’s knowledge, skills and resources.  They never lie to themselves. They have a dedication to honest thoughts and actions. Leaders also are mature enough to learn by following.  They earn their status through dedication, observation, and working with and through others successfully and honestly.

It’s often said that leaders aren’t born, they’re made; and becoming a great leader starts with first knowing, and then learning and applying the traits and skills that make the great leaders truly great.

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