Great Leaders Are Made, Not Born – Are You Ready to be a Great Leader?

Are you ready to be a great leader? Because it’s time to take your leadership to the next level. 

The Great Resignation has revealed that people no longer tolerate lousy management or toxic workplace culture. They want better leadership. They want to be seen, heard, and valued. They tell the world they want to be treated better by walking out the door when they are not. 

And the companies who have made it through the fire? They’ve made it because they had something that all the other companies didn’t. Great leaders. 

Sounds fantastic, you might be thinking. But what makes a great leader? What do I need to do, or who do I need to become, so my people stick around? 

Keep reading. 

Great leaders have five strengths: vision and purpose; their inner game; impact and influence; team culture; and empowered relationships. I’ve got it all laid out for you here. We can’t become great leaders without knowing what we’re working toward. 

But, I want you to be mindful of these things. Great leadership doesn’t mean:

#1 – all great leaders show up precisely the same; you’ll need to find your unique leadership flavor

#2 – you’ll wake up tomorrow knowing how to be the great leader you read about 

So, consider this your Great Leadership Primer.  When you’re done reading, don’t stop there. Take action! At the end of this post, I’ve made a couple of suggestions to move you closer to becoming the great leader I know you already are.

Vision & Purpose

Great leaders have a compelling vision of their goals AND the kind of leader they want to show up. Have you thought about how you want to show up as a leader? Or the way your natural strengths might lend themselves to the unique way you can lead? I know you’ve got mad skills, and you know it, too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in this position. But do you know if you’re using the skills you’ve got, and do you know what skills you’re missing?  

Taking this one step further, great leaders aren’t just focused on what they bring to the table but on what everyone else brings, too. They value each team member’s contribution, and they celebrate their successes. To get there, they invest in the growth of each individual, knowing that individual development is critical to the success of the team as a unit.

The Inner Game of Leadership

Great leaders have strategies for navigating the fears, frustrations, and disappointments of leading a team. And when those feelings come up, they seek out feedback to grow as a leader. Great leaders practice self-care and self-compassion and actively nurture their own authenticity. 

Impact & Influence

Great leaders have such strong beliefs in their vision that it guides their decisions and inspires their team to show up powerfully. They are confident and comfortable in their role; they feel satisfied with their impact on their team and, in turn, the impact their team is having on their customers, organization, and the broader community. Great leaders listen without judgment or defensiveness, fostering a culture of innovation. 

Team Culture 

Great leaders cultivate a team where authenticity, transparency, and trust are valued and practiced. It’s a positive and productive culture, free of drama and communication mishaps. And because of that great culture, setbacks and failures are met with curiosity instead of hostility. These challenges are seen as opportunities for growth and improvement. Great leaders have a written plan that clarifies each person’s role and responsibilities, so each knows how they contribute to the team and its success.  

Empowered Relationships

Great leaders have such a strong relationship with themselves that they are kind, encouraging, and loving no matter what side of the bed they wake up on. They’re a part of a community of peers reaching for new heights and supporting their upward movement to achieve their visions. They develop personal friendships, hobbies, and special interests beyond the board room or corner office. And they have an experienced mentor or coach who is offering them guidance to continue to improve their leadership because great leaders know learning and growing are never done. 

If you think this is all too good to be true, it’s not. It may just be that you haven’t had great leadership modeled for you. Or, maybe it’s that becoming a great leader feels too unattainable because you’re currently in a state of overwhelm or experiencing frustration in your role as a leader. Maybe it’s all of those things. That’s okay. I’ve been in each of those places myself. Not having a great leadership model, I felt like I couldn’t become the leader I wanted to be, so I felt frustrated by my role. At least until I got my own coach and started working through my own personal development. 

20-something years later, I’ve learned a thing or two, including that you can learn to be a great leader. You already have everything you need to become one, except maybe a plan of action. But you can get one of those. (I happen to know someone who can support you. ;-))

I know you are capable of becoming a great leader. You might even be well on your way. But we all can expand more and push ourselves further. So if you want to know how you measure up as a great leader right now so that you can focus on where to take your leadership next, then I’m your person. All you need to be is 100% ready to grow as a leader, willing to invest in your development, and committed to becoming the great leader I know you can be because great leaders are made, not born. 

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Start by taking my Great Leadership Assessment: Because Great Leaders Are Made, Not Born. This quick assessment is designed to help you discover where you are on track to being the leader you are called to be and what missing pieces are holding you back. This knowledge is critical if you are looking to create a breakthrough in how you show up as a leader, how others experience you as a leader, and the impact you want to make. Take the assessment today. (Then keep your eyes peeled on your inbox for your results.)