4 qualities of great leaders
July 17, 2018
By Brian Maynor
There is a big difference between being a leader and being a great leader, and it boils down to four qualities.
Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, but they face the same challenges: having hard conversations, creating accountability and inspiring action. Their age, role, position, title, profession, or status do not matter or make facing those challenges any easier.
Peter Bregman, a leading author, host and consultant, has worked helping leaders create accountability and inspire action for 25 years, and over that time he found four qualities all great leaders relied on to not only lead effectively, but also live effectively. They are: being confident in ourselves, connecting with others, committed to a purpose and being emotionally courageous.
Most of us have mastered one of these qualities, possibly two, but the truly great leaders have mastered all four and use them simultaneously.
Here is a recap of his findings, which we all can use to improve our leadership skills and our lives:
1. Confidence in ourselves. It may seem unlikely, but most leaders struggle with this quality. They work hard to be successful, but they wrestle with an underlying degree of insecurity. When we lack confidence in ourselves we tend to be driven by a need to constantly prove ourselves and please the people around us. The best way to boost our self-confidence is to visualize the person we want to be and focus our energy on working toward them.
2. Connecting with others. It’s hard to be even a good leader if we aren’t able to connect with others, but that doesn’t just mean trusting others, caring about them, or carrying on an open dialog. Connecting with others also requires us to be direct, honest, and forthright with difficult conversations. It’s being able to embrace those less-than-positive elements as well as we address the positive ones that make leaders great.
3. Committed to a purpose. This is a common quality leaders need to develop. They may be very clear about the big picture, but inconsistent when it comes to the steps needed to get there. Great leaders not only see the end goal, they also direct cohesive and consistent movement toward it, creating accountability and driving the follow-through.
4. Being emotionally courageous. Most of us think of all leaders as risk takers, but that’s not the case. Taking risks means embracing vulnerability, the unknown and uncomfortable situations, and only great leaders tend to do that. Some leaders avoid feeling vulnerable at all costs, which limit their success.
Great leaders not only present as powerful, magnetic, trustworthy and persuasive, they have these four underlying qualities of confidence, connection, commitment and courage all working for them simultaneously. This synergy is what brings their goals to fruition, instead of keeping them as idle thoughts or fantasies of what could be, both professionally and personally.
I’m always excited to hear from you, so please email your questions, quandaries and conundrums to [email protected].
About Brian Maynor
Brian Maynor has built a reputation as one of the leading style coaches in the Southeast and is quickly expanding his eponymous company, BRIAN MAYNOR and his FIND, FLATTER & FLAUNT line of image consulting services. A professional with a fresh, upbeat and down-to-earth personality and boundless creative energy, he works frequently with with local celebrities; Fortune 500 companies and nonprofit organizations; modeling agencies; fashion designers; production companies; record labels; media and individuals. A regular contributor to various fashion blogs and online communities, Brian Maynor is one of the most trusted and recognized style experts in the region, utilizing his education and training as a broadcast journalist to serve as a style lecturer, emcee, and commentator for over a decade. He has appeared at fashion shows, expos, and charity fundraisers, as well as events with big brands like Banana Republic, Ann Taylor, Chico’s and Macy’s. His approach is innovative, creative and fashion-forward, balancing fresh, modern styles with classic pieces to keep one’s look grounded. To learn more, visit http://www.brianmaynor.com.
