Leadership characteristics are those things we find in the leaders we value. We cannot name them all when someone asks us to do so, but we “know it when we see it” in a man or a woman who truly leads and not just supervises. They seem to “know what they are doing” and, in fact, get things done. They are usually calm under pressure, confident, and when you talk with them, they give you the impression that YOU are important (not them). We like these people and want to work with and for them. So what do they have that others don’t?

The list of “Characteristics for a leader” varies depending on who you are reading or listening to at the time. For example, academicians will have one list; historians will have another list; coaches still another. This list comes from me. I have put this together from over 28 years of being a supervisor or manager and 20 more studying the topic. Here is the list I have come up with:

Good “Leaders” usually have and display the following characteristics:

Accountable / Responsible

Communication

Confident

Constant Learner

Courage

Disciplined

Energy

Fair & Consistent

Has “the vision”

Have a reserve

Honesty

Humility

Imagination

Integrity

Objective

Proactive

Sense of Humor

I have put them in alphabetical order because no “one” is more important than the other. (Yes, I welcome your comments on this.) But before you jump on your keyboard to assassinate the concept, consider this: every situation you face as a supervisor or manager requires a different level of interaction, response, or action. Yes, you have some everyday occurrences or exchanges, but these can be different depending on the timeframe, level of complexity, personalities involved, or risk. So, no single characteristic is more important than the next day, week, or year. Each one is an “arrow in your quiver” that you will pull out as the situation dictates.

We all know there is a tremendous difference between a “leader” and a “supervisor or manager.” We have all worked for supervisors who are simply not leaders. But, in most cases, this is not their fault. In most cases, they have never been trained to be a “leader” or a supervisor. And that is a disgrace (but that is a topic for another time).

These characteristics are what separates the leaders from those who remain simply supervisors.

In the next few weeks, I will write a short narrative on each of these characteristics, explaining what they are and what they mean to an individual who wants to be a good leader.

I’ll do them in the order you see them here, so you can keep up with the list as we proceed. I’ll look forward to your comments!