“What Makes a Great Leader?” - Do we instil leadership characteristics merely because it’s KPI, or because of our aspirations, values & principles?

 

Recently I conducted an anonymous survey within our process engineering team: List down 3 leadership qualities which you feel are most important

From EQ, listening, approachability, empathy, transparency, giving guidance - these were the results of the survey.

I engaged the team to share my thoughts of these survey results. Three observations:

1. First thing’s first: I agree with these leadership qualities. These are what I hope my leaders would have, too. And as your leader, this is what I try to consciously try to develop in myself.

 

2. Great Leadership is basically about being a great human being. 

You don’t need the title of a “manager” or “boss” to develop these qualities in yourself. 

    

You need to cultivate these leadership characters right here, right now. 

    

It’s not like when you get the promotion letter to manager, you suddenly flip a switch and magically develop these characteristics overnight. When you’re formally appointed as a leader, that’s when it’s even more difficult and overwhelming to start! 

    

We need to ask ourselves: if this is what I expect in my leaders, do I myself develop them? Isn’t it hypocritical and entitled to expect others to have it, yet at the same time I fail to uphold my own expectations? 

Practice being decisive. Learn to coach and mentor others - be a positive role model to your family, your younger siblings & cousins. Practice having tough-but-necessary conversations with your family & friends. Practice exchanging feedback. Establish a long term vision and aspirations for yourself. 

Later on down the road, if you’re appointed with higher responsibilities of leadership, then you’re more prepared & ready to leave behind a positive impact to your team. 

3. Integrity: Beyond KPI. I asked the team: Now - let’s be honest, here. You guys all see my KPI as the manager. You know my business targets. 

How many of those leadership qualities do you see in my KPI? Do you see “empathy” or “approachable” in my KPI? If I fail to uphold psychological safety in our conversations, will my higher bosses be breathing down my neck and telling me I failed?

The point is, we don’t inculcate these characteristics because it’s our KPI, or what the “company” asks us to do. We don’t become a “good listener” because we expect our bosses to take note and give us credit. We don’t inspire our team because we expect our leadership team to acknowledge us as “great motivators”. We don’t teach and guide others just because we want to be credited for growing talent. 

We do this for a higher purpose. It’s for what we believe in: Fulfilling a higher calling, our vision of a better future, our principles and values. 

At the end of the day, it all boils down to the same, tried and true definition of integrity: what you do when no one is watching.