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How do you know you are a leader?

And if you are, how do you identify more potential leaders in your organization who can help you accomplish the vision? It all comes down to the age old question of Who, What, Where, When, Why and How (although not in that order.)

I submit that to identify leaders, look for people who…

1. Cast Vision- Leaders know where they are going and communicate it in a way that inspires people and makes them want to come along for the journey. They chart out a roadmap that others can follow. They see the world through the lens of “what could be” instead of what is.

2. Create Culture- Leaders know who they are. They exude an “aroma,” a unique atmosphere that is tangible and contagious in the organizations they create, the people they develop and the legacies they leave. They attract a specific  “tribe” of people who identify with their core values and replicate it in their attitudes and activities.

3. Believe Deeply- Leaders know why they are chasing their goal and are committed to seeing it through even if success comes at great personal cost. They are not just charismatic, likeable or excited about something that could be or even should be; they are deeply passionate about what MUST be. They look around for someone leading the charge who they can join, but if no one is in sight, they don’t wait around, hoping someone else will do something. They are willing to take initiative and champion the cause themselves.

4. Build Trust- Leaders understand that what they say and do in every situation is of the utmost importance. They know that people are constantly assessing their integrity, reliability and level of competence.  They strive to lead by example, work harder, stay longer and do what they say they’ll do, when they say they’ll do it. They know this inspires trust in those they lead. Further, they also tend to be trusting of others and in the absence of information, believe the best about people. When these leaders extend trust to others, others in turn tend to trust them in return.

5. Read People- Leaders are constantly observing how the people around them are behaving and interpreting the patterns in the conversation, actions and situations around them. They have a keen sense when something is not quite right with someone they’re leading and often spend time mulling over previous conversations and proactively thinking through how to prevent damage and foster growth in that relationship.

6. Communicate Responsibly- Leaders know when it is appropriate to address issues, have hard conversations and provide feedback. They are mindful of how much relational capital they carry with those they are trying to lead and don’t assume people will respect them because of a title or position. They understand the correct context for both praise and criticism: the former is done publicly and the latter privately. They are gentle, supportive and restorative with leaders in training who mess up. They avoid directing anger and frustration at those they lead, even when they are challenged or disrespected.

No leader will display all of the above traits at all times, unless they are very experienced and gifted. I’m still discovering and developing many of these traits! But if you spot two or three of these in yourself or someone in your organization, you can know you have leadership potential on your hands.

How do we identify these traits in potential leaders around us? I’ll address that topic in more detail in my next post: Identifying Leaders.

Now go lead!

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