By Travis Bradberry
Great leadership can be difficult to define or fully understand. You may recognize the value of a good leader when you work under their guidance, yet even leaders themselves can struggle to explain what makes their leadership style so effective.
Some time ago, rumors circulated that former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz might run for president of the United States. He quickly put an end to the speculation, writing in an article: “Despite the encouragement of others, I do not intend to enter the presidential race. I am not finished serving Starbucks.”
What stands out about Schultz’s decision is that he chose his commitment to the company over the allure of publicity and fame. Even more admirable, however, was his desire to lead by putting service to others first.
For Schultz, service was not simply a slogan to repeat in front of the media. His mission was to build a company where people were treated with respect and dignity, and he demonstrated his commitment through the time and resources he devoted to that goal.
The Essence of True Leadership
Over a period of 10 years, Starbucks invested $250 million in college tuition assistance for eligible employees. Schultz also reportedly made a habit of waking up at 4 a.m. to send motivational emails to the company’s workforce.
A leader’s actions, words and everyday decisions reveal the essence of true leadership. As Schultz put it: “Dream more than others think practical, expect more than others think possible, and care more than others think wise.”
Behavior can change, and leaders who work to develop their skills can achieve tangible results. In Schultz’s case, he spent three decades refining his leadership abilities, drawing, among other influences, on the direct mentorship he received from renowned leadership expert Warren Bennis at the University of Southern California.
Developing Your Leadership Skills
Of course, not everyone has access to a mentor like Bennis, but developing leadership skills remains within your control.
All you need to do is study the behaviors of great leaders and work to incorporate them into your own leadership style. Six fundamental behaviors distinguish exceptional leaders, and anyone can learn to practice them.
1. Kindness Without Weakness
One of the most difficult skills for a leader to master is being kind without appearing weak. Kindness means giving others credit and enthusiastically recognizing their efforts and achievements. Striking a balance between genuine warmth and strength of character, however, is not always easy.
The secret lies in understanding that genuine kindness is a form of strength because it is honest and direct. Telling people a difficult truth they need to hear is often kinder than shielding them—or yourself—from an uncomfortable conversation. Avoiding a necessary confrontation, by contrast, can be a sign of weakness.
Kindness should also never be conditional on receiving something in return. When a leader acts kindly to advance personal interests, that behavior becomes a form of weakness because others can often recognize the hidden motives behind it.
Consider Schultz’s decision to invest $250 million in employees’ education without requiring them to remain with Starbucks after graduation. Once employees earned their degrees, they were free to leave if they wished. That is genuine kindness.
2. Strength Without Cruelty
Strength is an essential leadership quality. People often look for evidence of their leader’s strength before deciding whether to follow them. They need someone with the courage to make difficult decisions, protect the group’s interests and stay the course when circumstances become challenging. When employees see their leader acting decisively under pressure, they become more willing to demonstrate the same strength themselves.
Many leaders, however, confuse strength with domination, control and harshness. They believe that imposing their authority and compelling others to follow orders will make employees more loyal.
The truth is that strength cannot simply be imposed on people. It must be earned and demonstrated consistently, especially in times of adversity. Only then do others develop confidence in their leader and believe that the person deserves their trust and commitment.
3. Confidence Without Arrogance
We are naturally drawn to confident leaders because confidence is contagious. It encourages us to believe that the future holds promising opportunities. The challenge is maintaining that confidence without allowing it to become arrogance or condescension.
Confidence means believing in your ability to achieve results and having the determination to pursue them. But when confidence becomes detached from reality, leaders may begin to believe they can accomplish things beyond their capabilities or take credit for achievements they have not earned. Suddenly, everything becomes about them, undermining their credibility.
Great leaders, by contrast, remain humble despite their confidence. Their achievements and positions do not make them feel superior to others. They are willing to undertake difficult tasks themselves when necessary and never ask their teams to do something they would not be prepared to do themselves.
4. Optimism Grounded in Reality
Leaders face another challenge: remaining positive without losing touch with reality. Imagine a sailboat carrying three people: a pessimist, an optimist and a great leader.
Everything is going smoothly until the wind suddenly shifts and begins blowing in an unfavorable direction. Here is how each responds:
- The pessimist throws up their hands and starts complaining about the wind.
- The optimist relaxes and says that things will get better.
- The great leader says, “We can get through this,” adjusts the sails and keeps the boat moving forward.
This illustrates the balance between optimism and realism. A leader does more than encourage the team to remain hopeful; they take practical steps to address the actual circumstances and keep making progress.
5. Lead by Example, Not by Lecturing
Great leaders earn the trust and admiration of others through their actions, not merely their words. Many leaders talk about the importance of integrity, but a true leader translates that value into everyday behavior and demonstrates a commitment to it through decisions and actions.
Repeatedly telling employees how they should behave has far less impact than demonstrating the desired behavior yourself. Leaders who expect their teams to show commitment, integrity and accountability must be the first to embody those values.
6. Stand Up for Your Team and Take Responsibility
The best leaders are prepared to do whatever it takes to support their teams and stand by their members, whatever the circumstances. They do not try to shift blame onto others or evade responsibility when things go wrong.
They are willing to acknowledge clearly that ultimate responsibility rests with them, earning their teams’ trust by providing support and standing alongside their employees. They also make it clear that objections, criticism and differing viewpoints are welcome.
Good leaders understand that a workplace where employees are afraid to express their opinions, propose new ideas or ask important questions is unlikely to succeed. Leadership does not mean having everyone agree with the leader all the time. It means creating an environment where people feel safe enough to speak openly and discuss decisions constructively.
What Great Leadership Looks Like
Great leadership is an integrated practice that brings together a range of skills and behaviors into a coherent approach. By working to adopt these six behaviors and apply them in your professional life, you can strengthen your leadership abilities and become more effective in guiding others.
What other behaviors do you believe distinguish great leaders? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments. Just as you can learn from others, they can learn from you.
Related Topics:
Putting the Customer First: A Leadership Mindset for Sustainable Business Growth
Diversity at Work: Why Inclusive Leadership Holds the Key to Success
