Emotional Intelligence Blog

From time to time I have the opportunity to read articles about what makes a leader. These articles typically list the author’s view of characteristics, behaviors, competencies and/or skills of effective leaders. Many of these lists seem to focus heavily on the cognitive and analytical side of leaders (i.e., Acts Strategically, Uses Financial Data, Develops Sound Plans). This heavy emphasis on cognitive terms seemed to indicate that a leader’s focus and success relied heavily on market success.

While “getting the numbers” and success in the market is a key driver, getting those numbers does not rely solely on cognitive skills: great leaders do not just possess cognitive skills; they also have a high degree of affective or “soft skills” (Develops Others, Establishes Relationships) that enable them to create organizational cultures that deliver results year over year. Over the past 10 years, I’ve noticed that the articles have started to include these soft skills. And I agree that their addition more accurately captures the make-up of a great leader – one who supports his or her people in such a way as to make the numbers while creating a positive, supportive culture.

However, many of these articles still fall short. They lack what I would term “real world feel” about the skills, characteristics and behaviors of great leaders. From my point-of-view they rarely capture enough of the elements or essence of a real, down-to-earth good leader.

Recently I read one of these articles and it made me think about the emotional intelligence training I just facilitated for executives and managers of a $15 billion energy company in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. This particular company employs people of 43 nationalities and the mix of participants in my workshop reflected this diversity. As a part of my workshops, I ask participants to list on flipcharts the characteristics and behaviors of the best, most effective bosses they’ve ever worked for. What is interesting (but not surprising) is that the characteristics of best bosses identified by the people in Abu Dhabi are very similar to those identified by participants in the workshops I’ve been conducting for over 15 years in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Mexico for a wide variety of organizations including those in information systems, energy, manufacturing, transportation, government, communication, and fast food.

What I find even more interesting is that the list of best bosses more accurately captures or describes those soft skills that make-up what I would consider a good leader. While I’ll agree that a best boss may not always be a great leader in that he or she may lack some of the critical strategic or analytical skills, I’ll argue that a truly great leader should be a best boss.

Following are typical “best boss” characteristics and behaviors that participants in our workshops from senior executives to front-line employees identify whenever we do this workshop.

Characteristics/Behaviors of Best Bosses:

Observations:
As you look through the list, see if you don’t agree that the characteristics or behaviors represent true leaders – the best leaders. Notice that many of characteristics or behaviors…

When I think of leaders, it often makes me think of some super human being who can leap tall buildings in a single bound. And I contrast that with real people – the best bosses that I have ever worked for. People who possess characteristics or exhibit behaviors like those listed above are the kind of people that are the best leaders, the best bosses, the real people that I would be honored to follow and passionately support. What about you?