7 Great Leadership Qualities
A good leader inspires people to have confidence in the leader. A great leader inspires people to have confidence in themselves.
– Eleanor Roosevelt
INTRO
Not all great leaders are the same or lead in the same way. Educational leaders, specifically, face many different responsibilities and challenges that other leaders may not. However, there are some core qualities that transcend the time, place, and nature of leadership work. Consider these 7 Great Leadership Qualities to strengthen your own leadership skills while fostering a more inclusive workplace.
OBJECTIVES
- Evaluate your areas of strength and opportunities for growth for each of the 7 great leadership qualities
- Brainstorm ways to begin developing or enhancing each leadership quality
- Plan one practice or goal for each quality
REFLECTION
- Consider each of the 7 qualities of great leadership
- Evaluate yourself by first ranking each of the leadership qualities in order of personal strength
- 1 = most dominant leadership quality you possess — 7 = leadership quality you most need to develop
- Consider your rankings.
- Do they surprise you at all? How and why?
- Why do you think you possess some of these qualities and not others?
- What makes #1 and 2 especially “easy” or “natural” for you?
- What makes #6 and 7 especially “difficult” for you?
- Evaluate yourself by first ranking each of the leadership qualities in order of personal strength
- Brainstorm ways to begin developing or enhancing each leadership quality
- Plan one practice or goal for each type. Be sure your plans are tangible and practical.
- For #1-3 on your ranked list, consider how you more consistently and effectively apply this quality and/or enhance it further
- For #4-7 on your ranked list, consider how you can work on practicing and feeling comfortable and confident applying this quality
- Plan one practice or goal for each type. Be sure your plans are tangible and practical.
TIPS
- If you feel comfortable, consider discussing with a trusted friend, colleague, confidant, etc. An outside perspective can be helpful and enlightening (especially if you’re feeling stuck).
What are your personal gaps. Potentially with a team to strengths and opportunities for growth of awareness of blind spots the leadership team may have. Self and then group activity with team. Develop plans on how to work together to provide learning/growth opportunities to for growth in areas rated as 4-7.
Breakdown what we are good at as a group (Individual-Strengths Finder) or the original Toolkit activity looking at team.