In today’s dynamic business landscape, leadership is no longer about command and control. It’s about connection, clarity, and continuous growth.
Exceptional leaders consistently demonstrate six key traits: self-leadership, effective communication, strong values, kindness, emotional intelligence, and a growth mindset. These ingredients form the foundation of a leadership style that is both human-centred and results-driven.
1. Self-Leadership: The Foundation of Great Leadership
“Self-leadership is the practice of intentionally influencing your thinking, feeling, and actions toward your objectives.” — Charles Manz
Before leading others, you must first lead yourself. Self-leadership encompasses self-discipline, purpose, and personal responsibility. It’s about understanding your drivers, managing your time and energy, and remaining aligned with your goals—even when external conditions shift.
Peter Drucker famously described it as serving as the “CEO of your own life.” In practice, this means cultivating a high degree of self-awareness and taking full accountability for your decisions and behaviours.
Self-leadership means taking personal responsibility for your development, actions, and mindset. It starts with understanding your values, setting clear goals, and consistently aligning behaviour with intent.
Yvon Chouinard, the founder of Patagonia, is a model of self-leadership. His commitment to environmental sustainability influenced his personal choices and shaped the company’s ethical brand.
Practical Strategies:
- Start each week by journaling your priorities and purpose.
- Set personal development goals and review them quarterly.
- Use a trusted peer or coach as an accountability partner.
2. Communication Skills: The Power of Deep Active Listening
Communication is more than speaking – it’s about listening to understand, not simply to reply. Active listening fosters trust, improves collaboration, and encourages innovation.
Leaders must also be conscious of non-verbal cues, such as body language, tone, and facial expressions, which all carry emotional weight.
A study from MIT’s Human Dynamics Lab found that teams with balanced communication patterns and active listening outperform others.
Good communication also entails clarity. Leaders should strive to be concise yet comprehensive in their messaging, especially during periods of uncertainty. Using storytelling as a communication tool can also make ideas more relatable and memorable.
Satya Nadella transformed Microsoft’s culture by fostering open dialogue and empathy, moving the organisation from a ‘know-it-all’ to a ‘learn-it-all’ mindset.
Practical Strategies:
- Practise reflective listening – paraphrase and confirm what others say.
- Ask open-ended questions to invite deeper insights.
- Resist the urge to interject while the other person is speaking. Stay present and focused.
- Avoid multitasking during conversations to maintain presence.
3. Values: The Guiding Compass
Values shape decisions, behaviours, and culture. Leaders who lead with integrity inspire loyalty, even during uncertainty.
Organisations with values-aligned leadership often outperform competitors in reputation and retention. When leaders communicate and embody their values, it creates clarity and cohesion, especially in periods of disruption.
Transparent communication of values during onboarding, performance reviews, and team meetings, ensures that those values become lived, not just words on websites.
As CEO of Unilever, Paul Polman prioritised sustainability and long-term impact over short-term profits, embedding corporate values into strategy and operations.
Practical Strategies:
- Identify and define your top five or ‘core’ values.
- Share these values with your team and lead by example, living them daily.
- Use values as a filter for decision-making and conflict resolution.
4. Kindness: The Underestimated Leadership Trait
Kindness is not weakness, it’s a leadership superpower. It builds psychological safety, reduces stress, and strengthens loyalty.
Kindness doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations; it means delivering them with empathy and respect. This builds credibility and keeps relationships intact during challenges.
Regular acts of kindness, like check-in messages, spontaneous compliments, or flexibility with deadlines, may seem small, but they accumulate into a culture of care.
Indra Nooyi, former CEO of PepsiCo, wrote personal letters to the parents of her top executives, honouring their contributions. This act of kindness deepened commitment and humanised leadership.
Practical Strategies:
- Publicly recognise contributions and celebrate small wins.
- Offer genuine, compassionate support during team members’ challenges.
- Be inclusive by fostering environments where everyone is valued, regardless of rank.
5. Emotional Intelligence: The Key to Connecting
Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is the ability to manage your emotions and understand those of others. It is essential for resolving conflicts, inspiring teams, and adapting to change.
EQ also contributes to inclusivity. Leaders with strong emotional insight foster environments where diverse perspectives are welcomed, valued, and integrated into decision-making processes.
Leaders with high EQs are also more adept at resolving conflict without escalation. They recognise when emotions are running high and intervene with calm, empathetic guidance.
A 2023 Deloitte report identified EQ as a top-five leadership skill, with emotionally intelligent leaders being better at retaining talent and navigating complexity.
Practical Strategies:
- Regularly self-check your emotional triggers and responses.
- Lead with empathy, actively considering others’ perspectives.
- Encourage open feedback to gain insights into how your leadership style affects others emotionally.
6. Growth Mindset: Embrace Continuous Learning
A growth mindset helps leaders and teams embrace challenges, view failure as feedback, and pursue lifelong learning.
A growth-oriented leader is not afraid to admit mistakes, ask questions, or be seen learning in public. This vulnerability builds trust and sets the tone for continuous development at all levels of the organisation.
Google’s policy of allowing 20% of employee time for personal projects resulted in major innovations like Gmail and AdSense, proof of the power of a learning culture.
Practical Strategies:
- Encourage your team to take smart risks and share lessons learned.
- Set goals that prioritise learning and skill acquisition, not just performance outcomes.
- Recognise and reward efforts and progress, not just results.
Conclusion: Unleash Your Leadership Potential
Great leadership isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. The six essential traits explored in this article – self-leadership, deep listening, values-based decision-making, kindness, emotional intelligence, and a growth mindset – are not innate; they can be developed with intention and consistency.
By mastering these traits, leaders can build meaningful relationships, navigate challenges with confidence, and leave a lasting positive impact on their teams and organisations.
