Last week my client mentioned a study by the Workforce Institute at UKG that found managers have a greater influence on employee mental health than therapists or doctors, and an influence equal to spouses and partners. That’s a lot of influence!
In my career I’ve worked for “good” and “bad" leaders.
What I’ve learned along the way is there’s no such thing as a perfect leader, however there are common elements that show up consistently in the best ones.
Here's my personal list of the top 3 leadership competencies required for success.
Good Leaders Communicate
Many years ago I worked for Kathleen, the CEO of a non-profit. Kathleen was one of the first female CEOs of a non-profit in Minnesota and the organization she led achieved significant growth and success under her leadership.
Kathleen was the Queen of Clear Communication. I, and everyone else in the organization, knew exactly where we stood with Kathleen, what her expectations were, and why our mission mattered. From Kathleen I learned that clear, effective communication requires conscious effort and the dedication of time.
Good Leaders Exhibit Emotional Intelligence
This is a big one. To me, emotional intelligence is understanding the impact our presence (including behavior, comments and attitude) has on those around us and being able to thoughtfully and honestly modify our approach to ensure our presence is having the desired, positive impact.
Leaders who are emotionally intelligent are humble. They aren’t concerned about being the smartest or loudest one the room, and they demonstrate empathy for those around them. And if that isn’t enough, emotionally intelligent leaders hold people accountable in a way that respects their dignity as a human being.
Our current CEO, Teresa, consistently demonstrates a high level of emotional intelligence in how she delivers messages (particularly the tough ones) and through the level of transparency she provides. Her emotional intelligence contributes significantly to the strong and healthy culture in our cooperative. And I’d say this even if I wasn’t on her team!
Good Leaders Have Functional Competence
Some people will probably disagree with me on this one, but I believe leaders need a certain level of functional competence in whatever area or areas they lead. They don’t have to be the most competent of anyone in the organization, but they need to understand the lingo, the data and the environment so that they can ask good questions, make intelligent decisions, and understand the impact of those decisions.
Early on in my career, I worked at a rapidly growing technology company. My manager, Russell, had the functional competence to explain a wide variety of topics and issues to me at a time when I had a college degree but very little real-world experience. His knowledge provided a solid foundation for my career in HR.
Differentiators
The three competencies I shared above are differentiators and arguably are sought after characteristics of effective leaders. I’ve been blessed to work for some great people during my career, ones who communicate, relate, and educate.
To Kathleen, Teresa and Russell, thank you for role modeling great leadership!