In Focus/Leadership Characteristics

Nine Keys to Good Leadership

David Campbell

What characteristics are needed to be a successful leader? That's a broad question, but it's one that leaders—whether they're in charge of a small group such as a committee or an entire organization such as a corporation—need to contemplate. Effective leadership is crucial to the success of any enterprise, and understanding and emulating the features of a good leader can improve one's chances of success in a leadership role.

Working from knowledge gained during thirty years of experience with CCL's research and training programs—especially noting recurring themes that appeared in program participants' personal and psychological assessment data as well as a host of studies, projects, conferences, and discussions with leaders—I derived a list of nine essential leadership components. Then, using the same accumulated CCL experience as well as leadership competencies identified by various organizations, I developed lists of adjectives that describe each of the nine characteristics of successful leaders.

The components and adjectives represent universals in leadership performance, so they are applicable in virtually any setting, whether it be a corporation, governmental agency, nonprofit organization, educational institution, military unit, hospital, or symphony orchestra. They are also applicable across a range of functions within a single organization, such as operations, finance, marketing, human resources, and information systems. Some components might be more applicable in some settings than in others, and some components might be more applicable than others at specific times—for instance, during a crisis. But over the long run, each component is relevant in most organizations at most times and for leaders at all levels and of all ages.

The nine leadership components and their corresponding descriptive adjectives form the basis of a new self-scored assessment tool, the Campbell Leadership Descriptor. The descriptor is designed to help leaders identify their leadership strengths and weaknesses, evaluate the implications of their ratings, and develop an action plan for improvement. Using a simple questionnaire that takes thirty to forty-five minutes to complete, leaders rate themselves on a scale of 1 to 4 on each of the descriptive adjectives. The leaders also rate two other leaders they have known—one of whom they regard as a good leader and the other as a poor leader—on each of the adjectives. The resulting ratings enable leaders to compare themselves with models of those they perceive to be good and poor leaders, based on universally relevant characteristics.

Following is a brief look at the nine major leadership components and their corresponding defining adjectives. The first six components cover the major tasks of organizational leadership that must be present and well executed if the organization and its members are to thrive. These tasks are typically accomplished by the organization's leaders, either directly or through delegation. The remaining three components represent the personal characteristics needed for successful leadership. These characteristics cannot be delegated; effective leaders must have the characteristics themselves or be able to develop them.

Vision. How effectively do you establish the general tone and direction of your organization? Leaders who are successful as visionaries in today's global economy are described as farsighted (they see the big picture in developing a vision for the future); enterprising (they enjoy taking on new projects and programs); persuasive (they present new ideas in ways that create buy-in); resourceful (they use existing resources to create successful new ventures); and having a global view (they think beyond national and cultural boundaries).

Management. Effective leaders set specific goals and know how to focus resources on achieving those goals. When it comes to their management skills these leaders are characterized by being dedicated (they are determined to succeed and willing to make personal sacrifices in pursuit of their vision); delegating (they effectively assign responsibility and appropriate authority to others); dependable (they perform as promised and meet deadlines); focused (they set clear work priorities for themselves and others); and systematic (they develop systems and procedures for efficiently organizing people and resources).

Empowerment. The ability to select and develop subordinates who are committed to the organization's goals is one of the keys to good leadership. Leaders who are effective at empowerment are encouraging (they help others achieve more than they thought they were capable of); mentoring (they provide challenging assignments and related coaching); perceptive (they recognize talent early and provide opportunities for growth); supportive (they help others deal with difficult personal situations); and trusting (they see the best in others and are not suspicious of differences).

Diplomacy. The ability to forge coalitions with important people inside and outside the organization—including superiors, peers, subordinates, customers, stakeholders, and outside decision makers—helps leaders achieve their organizational agendas. Leaders who are politically adroit are described as diplomatic (they understand the political nuances of important decisions and readily involve those who will be affected); tactful (they gain goodwill by not being offensive, even when disagreeing); trusted (others are confident that the leader will be a fair mediator of any conflict); well connected (they know a wide range of people who can help get things done); and culturally sensitive (they develop teamwork among people of different cultures, races, and religions).

Feedback. Observing and listening carefully to employees, team members, clients, and customers and sharing the resulting information in a way that all involved find beneficial is an important element of effective leadership. Leaders who are proficient at creating and delivering feedback are good coaches (they give constructive, beneficial evaluations at the individual level); good teachers (they communicate information that individuals and groups require to perform well); candid and honest (they don't suppress information that might be personally embarrassing); good listeners (they are open and responsive to the ideas of others); and numerically astute (they organize data in informative ways to reveal trends in individual and organizational performance).

Entrepreneurialism. The ability to find new opportunities, such as increased revenue or expanded markets, through projects, programs, and policies is one of the hallmarks of successful leadership. Leaders who are adept at creating new endeavors are adventuresome (they are willing to take risks on promising but unproven methods); creative (they think independently and come up with novel ideas); durable (they persist in the face of criticism and are hard to discourage); good fund raisers (they can secure the necessary financing for new projects); and globally innovative (they enjoy the challenge of creating new programs and projects in different cultures).

Personal style. CCL's research on derailment strongly suggests that for leaders to excel they must have an effective personal style, one that sets an overall organizational tone of competence, optimism, integrity, and inspiration. Such leaders are seen as being credible (they are believable, ethical, and trustworthy); experienced (they are skilled at and knowledgeable about the organization's core activities); visible role models (they understand the symbolic value of personal visibility); optimistic (they are upbeat and see many positive possibilities); and good at providing an effective global leadership image across cultural categories and national borders.

Personal energy. The physical demands of leadership—long hours, extensive travel, conflict, and stressful decisions—require leaders to have a disciplined, wholesome lifestyle that provides energy and durability. Such leaders are balanced (they adapt well to conflicting personal and work demands); energetic (they are active and constantly on the go); physically fit (they are in good health and durable); publicly impressive (they present an appealing, energizing leadership image); and internationally resilient (they readily adapt to other cultures and are comfortable crossing time zones and eating unfamiliar foods).

Multicultural awareness. Leaders today need to be experienced at and comfortable with managing individuals and organizations across a wide range of geographic, demographic, and cultural borders. The five descriptors of leaders who are multiculturally aware are drawn from the other leadership components—that is, each of these descriptors is used twice. Multiculturally aware leaders are noted for having a global view and for being culturally sensitive, globally innovative, good at providing an effective global leadership image, and internationally resilient. There are a number of ways that leaders can become more multiculturally aware, such as by seeking opportunities to work, travel, and attend conferences in other countries; studying other languages; and learning the histories of other countries.

The experience with the Campbell Leadership Descriptor thus far has been that people who fill out the instrument soon realize that virtually all good leaders have a few flaws and all poor leaders have some virtues. However, by providing a detailed description of the flaws and virtues of both a good leader and a poor leader, the descriptor makes leadership performance more understandable and offers a way to focus attention on possible developmental activities for improvement—even for good leaders.