What makes a great leader?

Great leaders elevate humanity. They envision a brighter future. They inspire others to engage with their vision. And they empower people to deliver on it. When you nurture your leadership qualities, you help individuals, communities and ultimately our species evolve to reach our full potential.

Envision

Great leaders are often futurists. They live for the possibility of what may be, rather than what already is. They readily spot problems and imagine corresponding solutions.

To check you’re ability to envision, you can ask yourself the following questions.

Do you quickly spot problems that need solving? Do you make connections between unlikely ideas? Do you imagine a future that is more wonderful than today?

If you’d like to nurture your ability to envision, you might enjoy my article, Aha! How to be more creative.

Inspire

Trust is the foundation of all healthy relationships. If you want to inspire people to follow your lead, you must first earn their trust.

In a high-trust environment, people feel physically and emotionally safe, which is a prerequisite for thinking clearly, creatively and compassionately. Building a high-trust culture that inspires exceptional performance starts with a willingness to have honest conversations.

To check whether your conversations build trust, you can ask yourself the following questions.

Do you listen without judgement? Do you approach opposing opinions with curiosity? Do you make requests that set clear expectations and confirm understanding?

For further reading on how to have authentic and inspiring conversations, check out Conversational Intelligence by Judith E. Glaser, Adjust Professor at Wharton and communications thought leader.

Empower

Great leaders allow their people to flourish. They create shared meaning, rather than dictating it. They support individuals and teams to contribute their unique talents. And they grant their people autonomy to work as they see fit.

To check whether you’re empowering others, ask yourself:

Do you collaborate to draw out diverse ideas and create shared meaning? Do you provide support to help others strengthen their unique skills and safely rise to challenges? Do you provide freedom of choice for how people achieve their objectives?

For further ideas on how to empower your people, you might like to watch the TED talk Reinventing Organisations, delivered by ex-McKinsey consultant and business coach Frederic Laloux.