what are the qualities of a bad leader essay

What Are the Qualities of a Good Leader vs Bad Leader?

by Sara J. Baker, Ed.D.

What makes a good leader? This is a question that has been asked throughout history, and there are many answers to it. Some say that good leaders are born, not made. Others say that anyone can be a leader if they have the right characteristics and abilities.

The answer is actually somewhere in the middle. Some people seem to be born with the qualities of a good leader, but the truth is that almost anyone can develop the skills they need to be a successful leader by building on their strengths and learning what leadership actions make a real difference.

So what are qualities of a good leader? There are many qualities that are important, but some of the most important ones are transparency, integrity, vision and passion. A good leader is honest and open with their team, and they always act with integrity. They have a clear vision for the future and are passionate about making it a reality.

What Are Some Common Characteristics of Good Leaders?

There are many different opinions on this, but some essential qualities of a good leader include:

• Transparency: Leaders should be honest with their followers and open about their decisions. People should feel like they can trust their leaders and that their leaders are working in their best interests. Leaders who try to hide things or manipulate people will quickly lose respect and credibility.

• Integrity: Leaders should always act with integrity, meaning they do the right thing even when it’s not easy or popular. They stand up for their beliefs , even if it means going against the grain. And they always follow through on their promises.

• Vision: A good leader has a clear vision for the future and can articulate it in a way that inspires people to follow. They are able to dream big and think outside the box, and they are willing to take risks to achieve their goals.

• Passion: A good leader is passionate about what they do and about making a difference. They have a strong sense of purpose and are driven to succeed. They don’t give up easily and are always looking for ways to improve.

If someone has these basic characteristic traits, then they have a strong foundation to be a successful leader. Much of what makes someone a good leader can be learned and developed over time with the right tools and training.

What Are Signs That Someone Will Make a Good Leader?

There are also some common signs that a person will be a good leader, even if they are not already in a leadership role. These signs include:

• They take initiative: A good leader is always looking for ways to improve and is not afraid of hard work. They don’t wait for someone to tell them what to do, they take the initiative and make things happen.

• They are good communicators : A good leader is able to communicate effectively with people at all levels of the organization. They are able to listen attentively and understand what people are saying, and then articulate their thoughts and plans in a clear and concise way.

• They are strategic thinkers: Leaders need to be able to think strategically, meaning they can see the big picture and understand how all the pieces fit together. They are able to make sound decisions based on data and evidence, and they are not afraid of change.

• They are motivated: A good leader is motivated by the challenge of a good problem and is always looking for ways to improve. They are energized by their work and take pride in their accomplishments.

• They are team players: Leaders know that they cannot do it alone, and they are willing to work with others towards a common goal. They build strong relationships and develop trust among their team.

If someone displays these qualities of a good leader, they are likely to be a successful leader. However, it is important to note that there are no guarantees, and leadership is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Just like any other profession, it is important for a leader to adopt a mindset of continuous learning and be committed to continually improving and building on pre-existing strengths.

What Are the Signs of a Bad Leader?

Now we know the qualities of a good leader in the workplace, but what are some signs that a person will make a bad leader?

Some signs that a person may NOT be suited to leadership include:

• Narcissism : A leader who is excessively focused on themselves and their own needs is not likely to be very successful. They are more concerned with their own image and position than with the best interests of their followers.

• Arrogance: A leader who is arrogant and thinks they are better than others is not likely to be respected or liked. People will be reluctant to follow someone who is full of themselves and doesn’t have humility.

• Manipulation: A leader who tries to control or manipulate people is not going to be successful in the long run. People will eventually see through the tactics and lose trust in the leader.

• Lack of Vision: A leader who doesn’t have a vision or isn’t able to articulate it clearly is not going to be successful. People need to know where they are going in order to follow someone effectively.

• Inability to Take Criticism: A good leader is able to take criticism and learn from it. They know that they are not perfect and are always willing to improve. A leader who can’t handle criticism will likely be defensive and closed-minded.

• Micromanagement: A leader who is overly controlling and constantly looking over people’s shoulders is not going to be effective. They need to be able to trust their followers to do their jobs and make decisions.

• Inflexibility: A good leader is able to adapt to changing circumstances and seize new opportunities. They are not afraid of change and are willing to take risks.

• Aggression: A leader who resorts to threats or intimidation will quickly lose the respect of their followers. People want to be led by someone who is fair and reasonable, not someone who is domineering and aggressive.

How Can You Become a Good Leader?

If you want to develop the qualities of a good leader, there are a few things you can do:

• Read about leadership: There is a lot of literature out there on leadership, and it is a good idea to read as much as you can. This will help you understand the concepts and theories behind leadership, and how to apply them in your own life.

• Attend leadership training : There are many courses and workshops available on leadership. This is a great way to learn more about the topic and also get some hands-on experience.

• Get involved in leadership roles: Try to find opportunities to lead projects and teams. This will allow you to put what you’ve learned into practice and develop your own leadership style.

Leadership is a complex topic, and there is no one answer that fits all. However, if you display the qualities of a good leader and are willing to learn and grow, you have the potential to be successful in this field.

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About the Author

Dr. Sara Baker is an advocate for positive leadership and healthy workplaces. With over 20 years of experience leading private and public organizations, she understands the challenges that employees and leaders face every day.

Sara is the author of Toxic Workplace Survival Guide , an essential resource for anyone who wants to thrive in spite of a toxic work environment. In addition to her writing, Sara provides online courses for leadership development and coping with a toxic workplace.

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The 8 toxic leadership traits (and how to spot them)

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What is toxic leadership?

What are the effects of toxic leadership, how to spot a toxic leader, debunking myths about toxic leaders, how to deal with a toxic leader, is it possible to detoxify a leader.

Working under destructive leadership is not just difficult for morale. It can also affect the performance of an entire team. Because toxic leaders tend to focus on their own interests, their behavior comes at the expense of their team’s wellness.

But it’s not always easy to spot toxic or destructive leaders, even if it seems obvious in hindsight.

Let’s take a look at what toxic leadership can look like and how you can deal with a toxic leader, and their toxic traits, to thrive in your place of work .

Toxic leadership is a type of leadership that is destructive to members of a team and the overall workplace. It’s a selfish abuse of power on the part of the leader.

Under toxic leadership, it’s difficult for you and your peers to thrive.

A toxic leader will usually have their own self-interest at heart. This affects a team's performance, productivity, and morale to varying degrees.

Toxic leadership and bad leadership qualities have an impact on everyone who works with the leader who exhibits these toxic traits.

A study from the University of Manchester surveyed 1,200 people to  discover the effects of toxic leadership , which included:

• Workplace bullying
• Counterproductive work behavior
• Job dissatisfaction
• Psychological distress
• Depression and burnout

In the case of workplace bullying, it is often developed as a mediating mechanism when toxic leaders are present. Employees are more likely to retaliate and redirect their frustrations at others around them.

Overall, a toxic boss is an obstacle to healthy workplace culture. Of course, not all toxic leaders will have the same degree of influence on work culture because not all will display the same toxic traits.

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It’s important to keep an eye out for possible toxic leaders around you so that you can adjust and thrive despite their impact. Here are eight toxic traits that make bad leadership qualities.

1. Frequent lying or inconsistent expectations

Dishonesty in the workplace is toxic because it’s difficult to understand your place of work when you don’t have access to the truth.

Toxic leaders also tend to be inconsistent and often backtrack on what they said.

This can cause gaslighting as well.

Let's take a look at an example. Say your manager tells you on Thursday that your current assignment is due on Friday, then berates you when it isn’t complete by the end of the day. They now state that they previously said it was due today.

This is an example of gaslighting at work. Gaslighting is a type of psychological manipulation that involves one person making the other person question their own memory or judgment.

2. Doesn’t listen to feedback

Everyone has room to learn, but toxic leaders aren’t willing to  hear constructive criticism .

Concerns from their team members go unheard, which prevents the team from improving. It also means that a toxic leader stays stuck in their ways.

Here’s an example. You think it would be more effective for the entire team to cut the daily afternoon meeting. You feel that most of what goes on could be discussed over email. 

However, your manager refuses to budge on the issue. This meeting was their idea, and they’re taking this criticism personally.

3. Arrogance

Toxic leaders believe they are always right, which is one of the reasons they have difficulty listening to feedback.

They expect people on their team to accept what they say as the truth without question and don’t want to be corrected.

For example, let’s say that you’re in a meeting, and your manager states that the client said they prefer something in particular. You know this is wrong because the client told you so. If you try to correct them, they will either ignore you or berate you for attempting to correct them.

4. Places importance on hierarchy

Hierarchy (people’s ranks and roles within the business) is what gives toxic leaders control over their team.

Since they want to keep this power, they value this hierarchy. They will make sure it stays in place.

For instance, they'll shut down an initiative that would allow people on their team to be more independent and make their own decisions.

5. Discriminates against employees

Toxic leaders often have their own biases against people on their team, whether positive or negative. Often, they do not  practice inclusive leadership . 

This could show up in the form of giving preferential treatment to their friends, or as sexism, ageism, racism, homophobia, and more. Such discrimination can result in a highly toxic workplace.

Here’s an example: the manager praises their friend, even when this friend has done a mediocre job. On the other hand, the same manager is never happy with your work, even when you outperform expectations.

6. Lacks confidence

Toxic leaders don’t typically have a lot of self-confidence. This is often where toxic behavior stems from, as an attempt to overcompensate.

A lack of confidence also means they may find it difficult to trust their subordinates.

As an example, a manager who lacks confidence may micromanage because they don’t trust you to handle a task.

7. Incompetent at their job

Even if toxic leaders believe they are always right, this is hardly true. They tend to make bad decisions and will struggle to do their job effectively.

They will also put down others and criticize them to compensate for this behavior and elevate themselves.

For example, let’s say your manager struggles with time management. They may end up pressuring your team to commit actions that result in projects being late. Ultimately, this will impact the performance of the team.

8. Self-interested

Toxic managers often focus on their own careers and advancement over those of others.

Let’s explore four myths about toxic leaders.

1. Toxic behavior isn't tolerated by your team 

It’s easy to think that if a leader is toxic, it wouldn’t be a problem for long because you and your team wouldn’t let this go on.

But there is pressure to put up with this behavior since you want to keep your job and advance your career. It’s not easy to be the first person to stand up to a toxic leader.

As a result, toxic leaders often get tolerated for long periods of time.

2. Toxic leaders are easy to spot

A toxic person can still be a charismatic leader, which means they are able to hide their toxicity. This makes it so that they’re not always easy to spot.

Although they’ll exhibit some of the traits mentioned above, they won’t always do so explicitly or out in the open. Some toxic behaviors can be more subtle than others. 

For someone who doesn’t work directly with a toxic leader, it may be difficult to see through their disguise.

3. One person cannot deal with a toxic leader on their own

This is not always true. If everyone believes they cannot deal with a toxic leader, no one will ever speak out, and the problem won’t be resolved.

Fear of standing alone is exactly why several people in a team often tolerate toxic behavior.

But often, all it takes is for one person to be willing to speak out. Once that happens, others will find the courage to speak up as well, and you can start dealing with the issue together. 

4. Leaders need to be toxic to advance their career

Corporate positions are competitive, and many people believe they need to adopt toxic traits to ‘make it.’

But  toxic leaders have destructive behaviors  that aren’t good for the organization, especially in the long run.

It is possible to be an exceptional leader without being toxic  and while still advancing in your career.

5. Toxic leaders are inherently bad people

In some cases, toxic leaders may not realize what they are doing.

Their behavior can be a defense mechanism against their own self-doubts. This means that some toxic leaders have the ability to change over time.

If you do happen to work under a toxic leader, here are seven tips for dealing with them.

1. Attempt to help instead of judge

Help others around you achieve more and drive results.

You can focus on thriving together as a team instead of spending time on drama.

If you can’t avoid the toxic behavior, at least you don’t have to focus on it and give it all your attention.

2. Keep control of your reactions

You can’t control how your manager acts, but you are in control of your reactions to those actions.

Remember that this behavior isn’t about you. Stay in control of your emotions and don’t give them the attention they want. 

If you’re struggling to do this on your own, consider asking your HR department for help. 

3. Document everything

Document when your toxic leader makes requests you don’t agree with. This way, if there is a fallout, you’ll have proof that you were asked to do certain things that led to this fallout.

Always ask for a written confirmation via email before you complete a task that you don’t agree with.

4. Set professional boundaries

Keep the relationship between you and your leader professional.

You have no obligation to befriend your leader or answer personal questions. By doing this, you’ll protect yourself and your personal life from toxic behavior.

You can try to deal with the behavior by grey rocking in certain situations, but this is not recommended long-term.

5. Approach your manager with a candid conversation

Although toxic leaders won’t always be open to this type of conversation, you can attempt to have one.

The goal of a candid conversation is not to accuse but rather to air out how you feel and how your performance is being affected.

Approach it with “I” statements and explain how this doesn’t just impact you, but the company as well. Remember, your happiness and performance affects the overall performance of the company.

6. Clarify instructions

Don’t make assumptions about what you believe your toxic leader wants. This may lead to misunderstandings.

Ask for clarifications (in written form) whenever you have even the smallest of doubts.

7. Focus on your job and forget the ego

Remember not to take things personally. A toxic leader’s behavior is not a reflection of you and your performance.

You won’t be able to prove that you're right and your toxic leader is wrong, so don’t try to do so.

You can help a toxic leader become less toxic, but that’s not always the case.

Your manager needs to be at least somewhat open-minded to hearing your opinions and receiving constructive criticism.

If your leader isn’t open to this, then they won’t change, no matter what you do. 

Remember that it’s not your responsibility to help someone change.

Now you know what to look for when trying to spot a toxic leader, as well as how to best deal with them.

Remember not to take toxic behavior personally. Instead, focus on your work and help others on your team by  becoming a positive leader  yourself.

Learn how to combat toxic leadership and  improve your leadership skills with BetterUp .

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Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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Leadership Essay

27 August, 2020

12 minutes read

Author:  Richard Pircher

As a college student, you must write essays on a regular basis since the latter is one of the most common types of home assignments. All this means is that in order to get good grades and be successful with writing the papers, you need to have a sound understanding of the structure. Additionally, what you should never neglect is the variety of essay types. Indeed, your essay will significantly differ from one type to another: description essay will most likely have a structure that is slightly different from an argumentative one.

What you may have already encountered in your academic life is the work on a leadership essay. Although it sounds pretty complicated and vague, it is mostly possible to master an essay on leadership. Below is a guide for you to get an insight into this particular essay type.

What is a good leadership essay?

A good leadership essay is the one in which the essay writer has fully covered the topic of leadership and understood its core ideas. More specifically, to end up with a flawless leadership essay, you will need to indicate what makes a person a good leader. For achieving the latter, you will most likely need to conduct research and trace how a particular person reaches his or her goals. In other words, the task is to discover which actions the person undertakes, what their followers say about him or her, and how the person organizes the work. So, a leadership essay implies providing real-life success examples and further revealing them.

Above all, a good leadership essay is the one that follows a precise, clear, comprehensive structure. Structuring your essay about leadership in the most coherent way leads to a win-win situation: you have fewer troubles and barriers to writing a brilliant essay, and your teacher is able to comprehend the essay easily. This guide is what you will need to refer to to get an insight into how the flawless structure for a leadership essay looks like and how it will let you take a benefit.

How to write a Leadership essay?

To write a leadership essay that stands out, you first need to brainstorm all the ideas that you have and come up with a topic for your essay. If you are struggling with this step, you may think of some of the most influential people, read about them, and find out what makes them unique. Or, you can pick any topic which is mentioned at the end of this article. After you have chosen an issue, it is time to structure your essay appropriately.

As you already know, an essay constitutes three essential sections: introduction, main body, and conclusion. Below is the more detailed description of each of the parts.

Introduction

Of course, your leadership essay introduction will always vary depending on the topic of the essay. However, you can always begin by stating your vision of leadership regardless of the topic. Additionally, to motivate the reader and instantly catch his or her attention, you may use a quote of a famous leader, or simply a quote which you find relevant to the topic. Be aware that you should avoid outlining the essence and the role of the leadership in your introduction; leave it for the body paragraphs.

What you may also do in your leadership essay is ask a question, which will most likely intrigue the leader. Or it will at least give your reader an overview of what you will dwell on  in your essay.

Body Paragraphs

You will need to divide the main body into 3-5 paragraphs to make the structure more comprehensive. What you have to do at this point  is  give your reader a sound understanding of your ideas. Therefore, try to fit each idea in a single body paragraph so that you do not confuse your reader. Do not hesitate to indicate your examples to strengthen your arguments. For instance, you may explain a fact that makes a particular person you are writing about a real leader.

Also, always stick to your thesis statement and don’t forget that the body paragraphs should reveal the parts of your thesis statement.

As you may already know, you need to restate your opinion and briefly summarize all the points from the main body in conclusion. For instance, if you wrote your essay on qualities of an effective leader, state the most fundamental qualities and indicate why they matter the most. Besides, try not to copy what you have already written in the body – it is better to restate your opinion using different words. And, of course, beware adding any new and extra information; indicate only those points that you have already outlined in the text. Finally, keep in mind that it is always favorable to keep your concluding remarks short.

Leadership Essay Examples

Writing a leadership essay requires some research and time. In case you feel the necessity to go through an essay example, below is a leadership essay sample you can refer to.

Is leadership an inborn or an acquired feature?

Is everyone capable of becoming a leader, or is this ability innate? A lot of researchers have been struggling to answer this question. One assumption about leadership implies that the leader is the person who possesses particular characteristics. Another assumption claims that leaders are capable of acquiring specific features over their life span. As the evidence shows, leaders own many features that distinguish them among others and make more and more people become their followers. These might be cognitive abilities, psychological traits, professional qualities, and a lot more, and all of them will be either acquired or innate. Based on the importance of leadership qualities, such as commitment, stress resistance, and the ability to make quality decisions, it is reasonable to claim that leaders are made, not born. 

One can deem commitment as one of the top fundamental qualities of the leader. In essence, such a feature indicates that a person is passionate about the common goal, strives to be a team player, and makes every effort to reach a shared goal. As the history shows, none of the successful companies was uncoordinated by an influential, committed leader: Apple, Amazon, Microsoft – all of these companies are examples of dominant teams led by a dedicated leader. A committed leader also inspires his or her team to achieve common goals and put more effort into the shared activity. Besides, commitment is unlikely to be an innate feature; it instead comes with experience. This is so, since commitment implies dedicating oneself to the shared task, and one can reach it only via learning and continuous self-improvement.

Stress resistance is another incredibly important feature that every good leader should possess. This is because only a stress-resistant leader has sufficient capabilities to overcome any complexity and not let the anxiety and stress prevent him or her from making proper decisions. Besides, such a leader will most likely have a positive influence on the team, as long as leading by example will motivate the team members to attain the same emotional stability. What is so far familiar about stress resistance as an effective leader’s feature is that it can be either innate or attained. However, although some researchers admit that emotional stability is something one is born with, it is not entirely true; many people still put a great effort into self-improvement, changing the attitude to unfortunate situations, and so on. Therefore, being resistant to stress can be mostly attributed to a personality.

An ability to make high-quality decisions most likely determines the chances for an enterprise’s success. In particular, such quality is incredibly fundamental for a company of any size and professional orientation. Additionally, it is one of the top tasks of a good leader to make final decisions. What he or she should do implies brainstorming, discussing various opinions in the group, making forecasts, analyzing all the pros and cons. However, the leader is the one to make a final decision. Thereby, he is in charge of researching the market, discovering all the hidden truths, and analyzing the organization’s potential and capabilities to result in the most effective decision. As it flows logically from the latter, an ability to make sound quality decisions is purely a professional quality. This leads to the conclusion that one has to work hard to become a genuine leader and master the skill of making effective decisions. 

Overall, the leader may possess a multitude of different skills and master them perfectly. However, what has so far become transparent is that any leader, regardless of which team he leads, must possess three essential qualities. These qualities are commitment to the common goal, ability to handle and resist stress, and, finally, an ability to make effective decisions. All of the three qualities are most likely to be acquired over a lifetime. The statement below leads to the conclusion that even though some qualities can be innate, most are not the ones that leaders are born with. Hence, this answers an essential question: leadership feature is acquired, and not necessarily inborn.  

20 leadership essay topics

When coming up with your next leadership essay topic, it is imperative to brainstorm ideas and think of what leadership might be related to. If you are struggling with a topic of the importance of leadership essay or any relevant type of essay, you may quickly take a look at some of the possible topics we prepared for you:

• What are the main qualities of the leader?
• Successful Time Management as a feature of an effective leader
• The role that rhetoric plays in leadership
• The most exceptional leader in the history of the 20-th century
• The role of female leadership
• What are the challenges of the leader of the 21-st century?
• How college helps students develop leadership skills?
• Qualities of the leader that motivate people to follow them 
• Top things to avoid doing to become a team leader
• Examples of effective and ineffective leadership in the history
• Top techniques for developing leadership skills
• The interconnection of creativity and leadership 
• Is a university’s role fundamental in developing leadership skills?
• Dictatorship as an anti-example of leadership
• Liberal vs Authoritative leadership: which one works better?
• The influence of the leader’s role model on the followers’ mindset
• Main difficulties that the new leader may face in a new team
• Leadership of today vs leadership of the past: what has changed?
• Reasons why I want to become a member if the leadership program
• The role of cognitive abilities for the leader 

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12 Characteristics of a Good Leader

Leaders shape our teams, organizations, communities, and world.

We need good leaders to help guide us and make the essential decisions, big and small, that keep things moving forward.

Our society is usually quick to identify a bad leader, but how can you identify a good one? What would most people say are the qualities of a good leader?

What Good Leadership Looks Like

Based upon our decades of research and experience working with leaders at thousands of organizations around the world, we’ve found that the best leaders consistently possess certain fundamental qualities and skills. Here are 12 essential leadership traits.

12 Essential Leadership Qualities

• Self-Awareness
• Communication
• Learning Agility
• Collaboration

TIP: Download an action guide & summary of these essential characteristics of a good leader in PDF format to keep this list of leadership qualities at your fingertips as a reminder.

1. Self-Awareness

While this is a more inwardly focused trait, self-awareness and humility are paramount qualities of leadership. The better you understand yourself and recognize your own strengths and weaknesses, the more effective you can be as a leader. Do you know how other people view you and understand how you show up at work and at home? Take the time to learn about the 4 aspects of self-awareness and how to strengthen each component.

Treating people with respect on a daily basis is one of the most important things a leader can do. It helps ease tensions and conflict, fosters trust, and improves your effectiveness.  Creating a culture of respect  is about more than just the absence of disrespect. Respectfulness can be shown in many different ways, but it often starts with showing you truly value others’ perspectives and making an effort to build belonging in the workplace — both critical components of supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion.

3. Compassion

Compassion is one of the most powerful and important acts of leadership. It’s more than simply showing empathy or even listening and seeking to understand — as compassion requires leaders to act on what they learn. After someone shares a concern or speaks up about something, they won’t feel truly heard if their leader doesn’t then take some type of meaningful action on the information, our researchers have found. This is the core of compassionate leadership , and it helps to build trust, increase collaboration, and decrease turnover across organizations.

Motivating others and garnering commitment are essential parts of leadership. Purpose-driven leaders ensure they connect their team’s daily tasks and the values of individual team members to the overall direction of the organization. This can help employees find meaning in their work — which increases engagement, inspires trust, and drives priorities forward. You’ll want to communicate the vision in ways that help others understand it, remember it, and go on to share it themselves.

5. Communication

Effective leadership and effective communication are intertwined . The best leaders are skilled communicators who can communicate in a variety of ways, from transmitting information and storytelling to soliciting input and using active listening techniques . They can communicate well both orally and in writing, and with a wide range of people from different backgrounds, roles, levels, geographies, and more. The quality and effectiveness of communication among leaders at your organization will directly affect the success of your business strategy, too.

6. Learning Agility

Learning agility is the ability to know what to do when you don’t know what to do. If you’re a “quick study” or are able to excel in unfamiliar circumstances, you might already be learning agile. But anybody can foster and increase learning agility through intentional practice and effort. After all, great leaders are really great learners.

7. Collaboration

The most effective leaders can work with a variety of colleagues of different social identities , locations, roles, and experiences. As the world has become more complex and interconnected, good leaders find themselves spanning boundaries and learning to work across various types of divides and organizational silos. When leaders value and embrace collaboration, whether within their teams or cross-functionally, several benefits arise — including increased innovation, higher-performing teams, and a more engaged and empowered workforce.

8. Influence

For some people, “influence” may sound unseemly. But as a leader, you must be able to influence others to get the work done — you cannot do it all alone. Being able to persuade people through thoughtful use of appropriate influencing tactics is an important trait of inspiring, effective leaders. Influence is quite different from manipulation, and it needs to be done authentically and transparently. It requires high levels of emotional intelligence and trust.

9. Integrity

Integrity is an essential leadership trait for the individual and the organization. It’s especially important for top-level executives who are charting the organization’s course and making countless other significant decisions. Our research has found that leader integrity is a potential blind spot for organizations , so make sure you reinforce the importance of honesty and integrity to managers at all levels.

10. Courage

It can be hard to speak up at work, whether you want to voice a new idea, provide feedback to a direct report, or flag a concern for someone above you. That’s part of the reason courage is a key leadership trait — it takes courage to do what’s right! Leaders who promote high levels of psychological safety in the workplace enable their people to speak up freely and share candid concerns without fear of repercussions. This fosters a  coaching culture that supports courage and truth-telling . Courage enables both team members and leaders to take bold actions that move things in the right direction.

11. Gratitude

Being thankful can lead to higher self-esteem, reduced depression and anxiety, and better sleep. Sincere gratitude can even make you a better leader. Yet few people regularly say “thank you” in work settings, even though most people say they’d be willing to work harder for an appreciative boss. The best leaders know how to show frequent gratitude in the workplace .

12. Resilience

Resilience is more than the ability to bounce back from obstacles and setbacks — it’s the ability to respond adaptively to challenges. Practicing resilient leadership means you’ll project a positive outlook that will help others maintain the emotional strength they need to commit to a shared vision, and the courage to move forward and overcome setbacks. A good leader focuses on resilience, both taking care of themselves and also prioritizing leading employee wellbeing , too — thereby enabling better performance for themselves and their teams.

Download a PDF action guide and summary of these characteristics of a good leader, so you always have a visual reminder available of these 12 qualities of good leadership.

Develop the Characteristics of a Good Leader in Yourself & Others

Our 3 core beliefs about leadership & leadership development.

At the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)®, we’ve been researching the qualities of a good leader and the role of leadership for over 5 decades. Here are 3 of our core beliefs about good leaders and effective leadership.

Good leaders are made, not born.

First, we believe that leaders are made, not born. Put another way, leadership is a skill that can be developed . Good leaders are molded through experience, continued study, intentional effort, and adaptation. So you can strengthen any of these 12 characteristics of a good leader, if you’re open to growth, use your experiences to fuel development , and put in the time and effort toward self-improvement.

Similarly, organizations can help their people hone these top leadership qualities by providing ample opportunities for training, offering support for learning from challenges, and providing access to coaching and mentoring programs .

Leadership is a social process.

It’s also essential to recognize that  leadership is less about one strong or charismatic individual, and more about a group of people working collectively to achieve results together . If you demonstrate several of the characteristics of a good leader, but fail to grasp this key point, chances are you won’t get very far on your own. You may be well-liked and respected, but it will be challenging to accomplish team or organizational goals. At CCL, we like to say that the  outcomes of leadership are about creating direction, alignment, and commitment, or DAC , within a group.

Good leadership never stops.

Also, we believe that leadership isn’t a destination, it’s a journey   — it’s something that you’ll have to work at regularly throughout your career, regardless of what level you reach in your organization or what industry you work in. Different teams, projects, and situations will provide different challenges and require different leadership qualities and competencies to succeed. So you will need to be able to continue to apply these leadership characteristics in different ways throughout your career. Just continually keep learning and growing, and you’ll be an agile learner with a long career .

We Can Help You Develop the Qualities of a Good Leader

Organizations can strengthen leadership qualities and foster deeper levels of engagement at work through providing a variety of on-the-job learning experiences, mentoring, and formal development opportunities. At CCL, we have many award-winning leadership solutions with clients around the world, and we’d be honored to work with you and your organization as well.

But individuals don’t have to wait to begin strengthening these leadership characteristics within themselves. If you decide you want to work proactively on developing your leadership qualities and skills,  download our action guide & visual summary  of this content. And get our tips on how to  convince your boss to make an investment in you  and your future. We’re here to support you every step of the way on your journey to becoming a better leader!

Ready to Take the Next Step?

After you download the 12 Characteristics of a Good Leader , keep on learning and growing: never miss our exclusive leadership insights and tips — subscribe to our newsletters to get our research-based articles, webinars, resources, and guides delivered straight to your inbox. 

Keep these qualities of a good leader top of mind in the future: download a PDF summary of this article as an action guide and visual reminder of the leadership qualities to nurture in yourself, on your team, and at your organization in the future.

This article was written by our Leading Effectively staff, who analyze our decades of pioneering, expert research and experiences in the field to share content that will help leaders at every level. Subscribe to our emails to get the latest research-based leadership articles and insights sent straight to your inbox.

Table of Contents

Don't miss a single insight! Get our latest cutting-edge, research-based leadership content sent directly to your inbox.

Related Topics

What to explore next.

With over 30 pages of insights gleaned from our research, this collection of resources includes actionable tips and team discussion questions to help you become a (better) leader with a focus on compassion, wellbeing, and belonging.

This introduction to our leadership philosophy explains how direction, alignment, and commitment (the elements of our DAC framework) are key in how leadership works, connecting exponential potential with collective progress.

Want to set yourself apart as a leader? Arm yourself with these 6 essential skills. Our global research study found that organizations will need these 6 key qualities that their leaders presently lack.

Do you know how to effectively communicate at work? It's the core of everything we do, and yet many of us have significant room for improvement. Get our top tips for leaders.

Stepping into a management role requires a fundamental shift of identity. Learn how to be an effective boss and succeed in your new role with our leadership tips for first-time managers.

Related Solutions

Learn more about our flagship Leadership Development Program (LDP)®, the most widely known and longest-running leadership development training in the world.

Professional leadership coaching deepens and sustains leadership development. Learn more about our world-class leadership coaching services.

Learn more about our leadership training courses, which are targeted to develop the skills leaders need to succeed at all levels of your organization.

The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL)® is a top-ranked, global, nonprofit provider of leadership development and a pioneer in the field of global leadership research. We know from experience how transformative remarkable leaders really can be.

Over the past 50 years, we’ve worked with organizations of all sizes from around the world, including more than 2/3 of the Fortune 1000. Our hands-on development solutions are evidence-based and steeped in our work with hundreds of thousands of leaders at all levels.

Characteristics of a Good Leader Argumentative Essay

What makes a good leader of a country.

A leader can be defined as someone who leads others. According to Greer, “a leader can be someone who is in charge or commands others in an organization or a country” (30). Leadership cannot be based solely on an individual’s responsibility. It is important to add that a leader is not just about politics.

Thus, leaders can be found in every sector including sports, entertainment, and corporate sector among other areas. The argument about leadership focus on: what are the right qualities? What should the leaders do to strengthen these qualities? How are these qualities developed? This paper seeks to argue the qualities that ultimately define a good leader in a country.

To answer the question on what makes a good leader appropriate, it is important to acknowledge that traditional qualities that have defined a good leader such as aptitude, strength, determination, and vision are not sufficient in today’s world. In this changing world, a leader- in addition to the listed qualities- needs a high degree of emotional intelligence.

A look at history can reveal a number of highly skilled and intelligent leaders who took over leadership of their country only for them to perform dismally. Therefore, it can be concluded that finding the right leader is an art and science. Notably, “although leaders may share general qualities, each leader has a personal style of doing things. Some leaders are passive and analytical while others are very proactive and confrontational” (Daft and Lane 52).

Another important thing to acknowledge is that a leader, especially in a country or state, will often face different situations that will often require different approaches. While pursuing diplomacy, the leader will be required to be a sensitive negotiator; while consoling victims of a disaster, the leader will need to show empathy and comfort; when dealing with state enemies, the leader is needed to have a forceful authority.

The general conclusion, in my opinion, is that, to be leader, intelligence, hard work, and vision are important aspects to consider. However, even with all these, a leader should have the emotional intelligence to be successful and sustain the leadership status that is made possible by the primary characteristics listed.

There are various aspects of emotional intelligence that are critical to good leadership. According to Goleman, “they include self-awareness, enthusiasm and responsiveness. Others include group skills and self-regulation” (21). Researchers have carried out studies in the corporate world, and the results have shown that emotional intelligence is often what distinguishes the outstanding leader.

The first component I analyze is the aspect of self-awareness. This refers to the ability to have a deep understanding of one’s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, motivational factors. To be self aware means that one is honest with his or herself. It also implies that the individual is neither critical of others nor unrealistic.

Further, individuals who are self aware can predict how different emotions will affect them and the performance of their work. For example, a leader who has self awareness may know that interviews with the press often make him or her nervous. Therefore, it is prudent to avoid such interviews and choose other methods of communication.

The same self awareness can be applied when it comes to ideals and values in which an individual believes. It has often been said that a leader who does not believe in anything will fall for anything. Therefore, the leader with self-awareness will be able to turn down an investor’s request to set up a big industry in the country if that investment will hurt the environment.

Weak leaders who lack self awareness will accept to do something, but after two or three years down the line, they will rescind their decision. It can be noted that people who have self awareness are coherent and articulate. They are able to speak openly and precisely tackle the areas they are addressing. They are also able to describe themselves accurately (Northouse 154).

The other component of emotional intelligence is self regulation. From the onset, it is important to acknowledge that emotions are part human life. Although humans cannot do away with emotions, it is possible to control and manage them.

Self regulation is the ability to manage and control one’s feelings in order to make one free from distractions. In this case, individuals should also be able to direct these feelings to a useful channel. For example, a leader may witness a shambolic presentation by members of his cabinet to a key investor.

With the disappointment, the leader may feel the urge to kick a chair or bang the table which will bring a negative side of him to the investors. Therefore, self-regulation is the ability to apologize to the investor and carefully select the words that will authoritatively, yet humbly explain to the members of the cabinet the areas that will need to be corrected. Another example is when the leader of a country faces a threat of attack from another country.

In such a delicate matter, one wrong move can cost the country in many ways. However, if the leader maintains calmness, does not panic, and can prepare the relevant stakeholders to deal with the problem, then the effect is different, and the damage can be controlled.

Self-regulation is also a strong pillar of integrity. Thornton noted, “on many occasions, people with integrity are often caught in decisions that lack integrity” (p.13). Although such leaders have integrity, they lack self-regulation, which often enhances integrity. An example is a leader who is faced with a crisis and has no solution for the crisis.

In the heat of things, the leaders may decide to apply a solution that is outside the law. Thus, although the action may have been intended to help the country, lack of self regulation may lead the leader to undermine his own integrity. The third aspect of emotional intelligence is motivation. It is almost an unwritten rule that a good leader should have motivation. In this context, motivation refers to the urge to achieve.

A motivated leader is one who is never contented with the status quo. They are always striving to do better things and doing them differently. Such leaders often raise the performance bar, and they keep track of the scores. In this case, a good example is Thomas Sankara, the slain leader of Burkina Faso from Africa. Sankara became the leader of Burkina Faso at a time when the country was reliant on donor funds.

Uncomfortable, with the status quo, he led his countrymen on an overdrive to practice farming to a level that had hitherto been unseen. The country was for the first time able to feed all its population without the aid from foreign countries. The same leader introduced a government policy requiring all top government officials to stop the usage of the extravagant Mercedes Benzes. Instead, government officials were encouraged to use the modest Volkswagen vehicles so as to save money for increment of teacher’s salaries.

The fourth component of emotional integrity is empathy. The uniqueness of this component is that, unlike the aforementioned components, this component is very easy to identify and recognize. However, the modern world will rarely reward a leader in business or politics on account of empathy. In this case, the conventional understanding of empathy is to be able to take other peoples’ feelings and give them priority as if they were one’s own.

In this context, empathy refers to the ability of the leader to consider the interests of all stakeholders when making decisions. The last component is the idea of social skills. The two components are related as they are concerned with the ability to establish meaningful relationships with other people. A leader is always leading and managing people. Thus, a good leader should be able to get along with these people.

From the discussion, it is clear that, to lead a country, a great team is what will deliver great leadership. However, in every country, there is a leader. Some are led by a monarch, others by dictators, or others like the United States by a democratically elected leader. In monarchs and dictatorships, leaderships will tend to be highly concentrated around an individual.

On the other hand, democracies allow power to be decentralized to other institutions like the parliament, judiciary and the executive. The common denominator is that, whether the power is decentralized or centralized, the leader or leaders of the country need to possess certain qualities to lead the country effectively. The argument put forward is that, apart from the conventional qualities, a good leader of a country should possess the quality of emotional intelligence.

Works Cited

Daft, Richard, and Patricia Lane. The Leadership Experience . Mason, OH: Thomson/South-Western, 2008. Print.

Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ . London: Bloomsbury, 1996. Print.

Greer, Eddie. “Dare To Lead: Continuous Learning Creates The Best Leaders.” Professional Safety, 56.6 (2011): 30-31. Print.

Northouse, Peter. Leadership: Theory and Practice . Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2010. Print.

Thornton, Grant. What makes a good leader? 2008. Web. www.grant-thornton.co.uk/pdf/20-leadership-report.pdf

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IvyPanda. (2020, July 8). Characteristics of a Good Leader. https://ivypanda.com/essays/qualities-of-a-good-leader/

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What Makes A Good Leader: Essay Hints

Table of Contents

In this essay, you need to discuss the essential qualities needed for becoming an effective leader. In fact, different situations require different types of leadership styles, so it may be hard to choose the qualities that define good leaders admired by people from bad ones.

Besides, there are common misconceptions about their role. In this article, we will try to answer the question of “what makes a good leader essay” and give you some recommendations about the aspects you should focus on.

Essay structure and key points to cover

Wondering what the best way to approach an essay on leadership qualities is? Leadership essays can be written in the expository style and structured to include different subtopics:

• Discussion of major leadership theories.
• Personality traits defining great leaders.
• Leadership styles and how they work.
• Leadership principles and core values.
• Examples of leaders in different spheres of society.
• People you consider to be leaders in your life.
• Leadership skills you have.

It’s important to demonstrate an original personal understanding of leadership concept and provide impressive illustrative examples taken from today’s real life or history. That’s the best thing to do when reviewing various leadership qualities.

What are the qualities of a good leader: essay ideas

When we take an in-depth look at history, we see countless leadership qualities that were adopted by both good and bad leaders. When writing what are the qualities of a good leader essay, you should focus on the characteristics and strengths of a leader, and how they help influence and motivate other people along with achieving own goals.

These are emotional and behavioral characteristics of well-known leaders that helped them succeed:

• Vision – effective leaders have exciting ideas, they usually are forward-looking, and have excellent strategic planning skills.
• Communication – communicating ideas clearly and concisely is essential to ensure teamwork towards the same goal.
• Integrity – they are honest and can always tell the truth in any situation.
• Confidence – they dare to take risks to achieve their goals and never give up.
• Responsiveness – good leaders value their team, listen to people they lead, and quickly change their behavior to match different situations.
• Determination – good leaders are passionate about what they do and can motivate people by demonstrating their own commitment.
• Empathy is the most important skill which allows to create strong bonds of trust and build successful teams.

Tips on writing a winning essay on leadership

When working on what makes a good leader essay, students should follow certain basic steps.

• Research relevant sources on the internet to get a better understanding of the concept, read a lot, and make notes of interesting ideas which can be used in your paper.
• Brainstorm ideas to write about, formulate a strong thesis statement and create a detailed working outline. Organize information in a logical order.
• Start writing a draft with an introduction. Engage readers with a hook – provocative question, anecdote, stunning fact, convincing statistics. Introduce a subject, providing relevant background information. End introductory paragraph with a specific thesis that sums up your ideas.
• Devote separate body paragraphs to specific points supporting the main argument. Begin paragraphs with topic sentences, presenting key points, give detailed explanations, and provide additional evidence and examples. Include appropriate citations with proper referencing. Sum up and demonstrate how each paragraph contributes to the logical argument.
• Create a convincing conclusion to wrap up the paper’s key points.
• Revise the first draft , make improvements in content, logic, and sentence structure. Edit to improve word choice and clarity.
• Proofread the final version – fix minor errors and typos. Create references list and check the formatting of the entire paper.

The use of a leadership essay sample

Still not sure that you can write a good leader essay that will impress your readers? Read biographies of famous people who played crucial roles in human history, created big successful businesses, managed large corporations to learn which qualities contributed to their success.

Besides, you may want to check out some good paper examples.

Find out how powerful papers on this topic are structured and what interesting points they cover. Use essay samples as templates or models to follow.

See this short sample paragraph which discusses one of the leadership qualities for inspiration.

Empathy, an ability to recognize other’s feelings and perspectives and understand other people’s needs is crucial in leadership. Being empathetic means you can step into another person’s world and this character trait is essential for success due to several reasons. It’s impossible to effectively lead people you don’t understand. You can effectively motivate and influence someone if you know their feelings. Empathy is one of the keys to successful leadership because it helps build relationships with people they lead and create an environment of open communication. Luckily, empathy is natural for humans and we can even learn to be more empathetic and demonstrate this ability to people around us.

No time to write your essay on leadership? We’ve got plenty of time here! Our writers strive to help you out. Click the button faster and get yourself a perfect essay with no struggle!

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Essays About Effective Leadership: Top 6 Examples and Prompts

Effective leadership is an essential trait that all people should strive to develop; here are 6 examples and topic ideas essays about effective leadership .

Many qualities make an inspiring and effective leader, such as vision, focus, and motivation. Like other skills, effective leadership can be innate or learned and practiced. When writing about leadership, include the strengths of an effective leader and how these qualities positively impact their team. You can also discuss weaknesses that can make a poor leader and how to combat these issues.

Here are 6 examples and 10 essay prompts to get you started on your next essay.

1. What Makes an Effective Leader? by Tony Gill

2. a guide to becoming an effective leader by yashi srivastava , 3. leadership: 5 practices of effective leaders by yvette gyles, 4. 6 characteristics of an effective leader by lauren landry, 5. six leadership lessons by order of the peaky blinders by andrew denton mbe, 6. leadership and the quest for certainty by keith grint,  1. what is effective leadership, 2. what does effective leadership look like in the corporate industry, 3. what to avoid to become an effective leader, 4. habits of an effective leader, 5. studying the mindsets of effective leaders, 6. effective leadership and its benefits to an organization, 7. indicators of strong and effective leadership, 8. poor leadership vs. effective leadership, 9. real-life examples of effective leadership, 10. how perception creates effective leadership.

“Work at using leadership styles that do not come naturally, styles that you find difficult. By becoming a well-rounded leader, it is easier to adapt your leadership technique for different situations.”

Gill uses a research-based approach to answer the central question of his essay. He looks at various sources that tackle the topic of effective leadership and stitch them together to make a comprehensive guide to effective leadership.

“Leadership is not a mystical quality, and anyone can become a more effective leader by developing some important skills.”

The author, Yashi Srivastava, defines what differentiates leaders from managers first. Then, she provides some dos and don’ts of an effective leader and how people could apply them in different situations. 

“Whereas as leaders, we need to be concerned about creativity and innovation, making positive changes, and seeking to challenge and push boundaries.”

Gyles specializes in leadership training for companies, so her approach to the essay is geared more toward company leaders. Nevertheless, it’s highly educational for all those interested in learning effective leadership meant for dealing with various people and guiding people to a direction or goal.

“Effective leaders don’t avoid the hard truths. Instead, they take responsibility for their decisions, maintain optimism, and focus on charting a new course of action.”

Landry’s essay focuses on her six top characteristics of an effective leader. Some of these characteristics are what you’d expect to see in an essay like this. Entries like transparency are less common but equally important in practicing effective leadership.

“Rolling your sleeves up with everyone else not only sets an example, it makes people want to follow you.”

Fiction mirrors life, and it’s one of the best sources to learn lessons that are otherwise too complex or vague to see in real life. Despite his penchant for crime and violence, Thomas Shelby is undeniably one of the most influential leaders on TV. This essay details the leadership skills used by a 1920s gangster character and how you can use them in modern life to become an effective and inspiring leader.

“Leadership is often associated with certainty; indeed, it is sometimes reduced to the decision-making process such that anything which smacks of uncertainty is categorized as weakness or a failure of leadership.”  

Grint’s essay on leadership explores the factors around leaders’ certainty or confidence. Of course, not all leaders have a clear answer to a problem, which is fine. The important thing is that they have a mindset to look for solutions and a modicum of honesty about their lack of uncertainty.

10 Essay Prompts on Effective Leadership

It’s your turn to express and explore your view of effective leadership. Use these prompts to work out your approach or steps to effective leadership. Here are ten prompts about effective leadership to help you get started on your essay.

Defining effective leadership is one way to explore your understanding of the idea. Remember that your definition of effective leadership could vastly differ from the other essays you’ve read. It’s also a great starting point for new people who want to warm up to the habit of writing essays about leadership.

Essay writing tip: If you’re new to writing essays, consider simplifying your essay. Try shortening it down to a five-paragraph essay .

You can find many leaders in the corporate industry, but some are more effective than others. Use this prompt to work out how you envision effective leadership in the corporate world. You can also apply the same idea to other fields, like at school, among friends or peer groups, or in the family. Consider carefully the field or organization you’d like to use for the essay.

You may have personal experience with a person who could have been an effective leader if not for their bad habits. You might have been that person and realized how your bad habits had held you back from practicing effective leadership. This is your chance to write about your experience, whether via observing someone else or through personal growth.

Practicing effective leadership goes beyond having direction and a vision for the organization. Becoming an effective leader also takes time and patience. Use this prompt to discuss the habits of great leaders and how these habits make them effective in their leadership.

Get into the mind of a leader and explore how such a person might become more effective in their leadership. This topic may involve discussing various people, whether real-life persons or fictional characters. Research how they think, handle their role and manage the people they lead.

Understanding the benefits of effective leadership is one of the best ways to drive someone to practice and adopt it. Use this prompt to detail how an effective leader boosts morale, productivity, motivation, communication quality, and confidence in the people they lead. It applies to all organizations, like businesses, teams, and networks.

How do you know whether a person’s leadership style and approach are effective or not? Use this essay topic to discover the different methods of measuring effective leadership. Read about the different measurements and indicators of leadership used in corporations and organizations.

Leaders can be good, mediocre, or bad in their leadership approaches and styles. This essay prompt will push you to compare bad leadership and effective leadership. You can also add methods of improving one’s leadership style to become more effective.

You can find a lot of excellent leaders throughout history. This idea focuses on discussing different leaders, their leadership styles, and levels of effectiveness.

Interpersonal skills are vital to great leadership. Perception of others’ feelings and thoughts can help you become an even better and more effective leader. Discuss how intuitiveness positively affects one’s leadership style. 

Check out our list of great essay writing topics for students for more topics to improve your writing.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

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Feb 15, 2023

Essays on Leadership for Students | 200 - 500 Word Essays

Are you writing an essay about leadership? Check out these examples!

Leadership is often defined as "the action of inspiring others to act in concert to achieve a particular goal." It signifies the harmony in actions that lead to a common objective. A genuine leader not only exudes confidence but also paves the way for their followers towards triumph. Over the years, various leadership styles have been identified and discussed by psychologists.

 Qualities such as intelligence, adaptability, extroversion, innate self-awareness, and social competence often emerge as the hallmarks of impactful leaders. There's a consensus that these traits mold an individual into an effective leader. Interestingly, some theories suggest that extraordinary situations can thrust an ordinary individual into the spotlight, bestowing upon them the mantle of leadership. It's also believed that leadership isn't a static trait but an evolving journey. It underscores the belief that with dedication and the right resources, anyone can hone their leadership abilities.

 True leadership goes beyond merely advocating for a cause. It involves taking responsibility, igniting motivation in others, and differentiating oneself from just being a 'boss'. A leader's essence lies in their ability to inspire and propel people towards grand visions, whereas a manager typically focuses on oversight and operational aspects.

What Is a Leadership Essay?

A leadership essay falls under the category of student application essays and serves to provide student admissions officers with insight into your past leadership experiences. Despite appearing to be very specific, this type of essay acknowledges that the nature and perception of leadership can vary significantly depending on the individual and the context.

 If you find yourself in need of further insights or a unique angle for your leadership essay, consider exploring an expert essay-writing tool designed to assist students in crafting compelling narratives by analyzing vast data and generating fresh ideas within minutes. In this article, we'll also delve into various leadership essay examples to offer a clearer understanding of the genre and inspire your writing journey.

4 Examples of Leadership Essays

Qualities of a good leader, introduction.

Confidence is the most important attribute first of all. One of the most important qualities in a leader is confidence in one's own abilities. A lack of self-assurance is fatal to a person's leadership potential. If you want others to follow you, you need to exude self-assurance. It's imperative for a leader to have faith in his own judgment and actions. How can people want to follow him if he doesn't even know what he's doing?

Every effective leader knows that they need to be an inspiration to their followers. A leader needs to set an example for his team. In addition, he ought to inspire them whenever feasible. A leader must also maintain optimism in trying times.

What qualities a good leader must have?

Leadership is the ability to influence and guide individuals or groups toward a common goal. A leader must possess several qualities to be effective, including:

Communication skills: A leader must be able to communicate their vision and goals clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing. This requires excellent listening skills, empathy, and the ability to adapt to different communication styles.

Emotional intelligence: A leader must be able to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as those of their team members. This includes being able to understand and respond to the emotions of others, and handling conflicts in a constructive manner.

Visionary: A leader must have a clear and inspiring vision of the future, and be able to articulate this vision in a way that motivates others to work towards it.

Strategic thinking: A leader must be able to think critically and creatively to identify and solve problems, make decisions, and develop plans and strategies to achieve their goals.

Flexibility: A leader must be able to adapt to changing circumstances and be open to new ideas and perspectives. This requires the ability to embrace change, be innovative, and continuously learn and grow.

Integrity: A leader must have strong ethics and values, and be willing to make difficult decisions that are consistent with their beliefs. This requires honesty, transparency, and accountability.

Decisiveness: A leader must be able to make tough decisions quickly, without undue hesitation or procrastination. This requires courage and the ability to take calculated risks.

Empowerment: A leader must be able to delegate responsibilities, give team members the resources they need to succeed, and foster a sense of ownership and accountability among their team.

Conclusion 

These qualities are essential for effective leadership, and when combined with hard work, determination, and a commitment to excellence, can help leaders to achieve great things.

How one can be a Great Leader?

Leadership is the act of performing the duties of a leader. In the business world, for instance, it is essential to have someone in charge of a team to ensure everything runs well. Effective leadership is essential for any group that wants to maximize its prospects of success.

Leadership Comes from Experience

As we've shown, leadership can be innate in some cases but is more often learned through practice and exposure. Sometimes the best traits of a leader must be learned over a lengthy period of time, so that one can become a notable one, proving that leadership is not always about a person's innate qualities. Leaders should continuously be on the lookout for opportunities to grow their leadership skills.

Nobody can disagree that experience is a key component of leadership. Numerous examples exist to back up this claim, such as:

Instance 1:

Our school's head boy or girl has traditionally been an older student who has been around for a while and thus has a better grasp of the ins and outs of school politics.

Instance 2:

When there is a vacancy for a team leader, it is common practice for the employee who has consistently put in the most effort and attention to the office job to receive a higher number of votes than their coworkers. 

“The best teacher for a leader is evaluated experience.” - John C. Maxwell

How one can be a Great Leader/Skills to be a Great Leader?

Effective leadership is a skill that develops through time. Developing into a leader with all the qualities that are needed takes a lot of hard work and potential. Being a prominent leader calls for a wide variety of traits. Some of these characteristics are addressed in further detail below:

One should be a Good Communicator

To be an effective leader, one must be able to convey his thoughts clearly to his/her/its subordinates.

Should have Confidence

The individual should have faith in what he says and does.

Give Credit to other Team Members too

A leader not only needs to impose his viewpoints and opinions instead he must also hear to the suggestions of other members of the team and offer them credit if their concept is appropriate.

Good Bond with the Team

A leader's ability to command respect from his team members depends on his ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with them.

Leads with Responsibility

A leader needs to be completely committed to his position. It's important that he takes on responsibility so that he can effectively deal with the various challenges he will inevitably face.

Any group or organization needs a leader above all else. Leadership development takes time and effort. One needs to have lived through a lot to be an effective leader. It's not enough to simply have years of experience in the field; one must also have the traits that make one an effective leader. You can't be a great leader unless you possess certain traits.

What makes a Good Leader?

Trying one's hand as a leader appears easy when viewed through this lens. Is that so tough? Of course not; leading is difficult, and not everyone aspires to be a leader. The vast majority of us have settled into well-established careers where we report to superiors and make a living. Still, not everyone is content to go along with the crowd. They become leaders in whatever field they pursue. A leader is an example to followers and will prioritize the needs of those around them.

Some Unique Qualities of a Leader

Many individuals resort to their leaders to vent their frustrations, therefore it's important for them to be good listeners.

A leader ought to be completely forthright; they can't play favorites or give anyone preferential treatment. One of the most essential qualities of a strong leader is the ability to make decisions with integrity.

They need to be aware of the bigger picture and understand what makes an individual stand out or become a leader. It's their expertise in addition to other distinguishing traits. Their awareness of current events and the results of recent studies is essential. In many ways, this is helpful, and it's the leader's responsibility to stay current.

Since some might not understand them, they should utilize straightforward, easily comprehended language. Leaders need to be able to communicate effectively at all times. In reality, what sets them apart is their exceptional communication skills. Adolf Hitler was such a gifted orator that his followers believed every word he said.

No matter how you're feeling or what's going on in the world, if you listen to a leader, they may make you feel energized. Since leaders are in charge of inspiring confidence in their followers, they can't afford to be wary or unsure of themselves. People tend to blindly follow their leaders.

Whether you're a leader or a doctor, you should devote yourself completely to your chosen field. Everything we do is for the benefit of others; engineers, for example, spend much of their time designing and constructing buildings for other people. So, take pride in what you do, and if you possess the aforementioned traits, you are also a leader who doesn't have to rely on others to succeed. No matter what you do, aspiring to leadership positions will always benefit others.

What is Leadership in Management and what are the weaknesses and strengths of a Leader?

Simply said, leadership is acting as a supervisor or manager of a group. Different mental pictures pop up when we hear the word "leadership" used in conversation. One might think of a political leader, team leader, corporate leader, school leader, etc. Leaders facilitate order and efficiency in the workplace. Teamwork and success are fundamental to effective leadership. Leaders utilize their managerial abilities to establish courses and guide their teams to success.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Leadership

Able to express oneself more clearly

Growth of character.

Self-awareness.

Possession of teamwork skills.

Gain assurance in yourself.

Weaknesses:

Acting favorably toward one's teammates.

Having no faith in the leader.

Thinks they're better than everyone else, but act hypocritically.

Not living up to the promised standard.

Insufficient morals.

Leadership and Management

Management and leadership are inextricably linked to one another. Leadership and management are both vital to the efficient operation of an organization; but, they accomplish very different things in the process. Leadership is a necessary skill for anyone aspiring to be an effective manager. The terms management and leadership are synonymous with one another. In this manner, we are able to draw the conclusion that a manager who demonstrates the traits of a successful leader is, in fact, a manager who is effective.

Leadership in School

Leadership is essential in nearly every group, as we've seen above. That group includes one's educational institution. Every school needs an outstanding figure to serve as its head of school. Class monitor, assembly captain, cultural leader, etc. are all examples of leadership roles that can be taken on at school, but this raises the question of what makes a person a successful school leader.

Any student hoping to be chosen as a student body leader will need to demonstrate a wide range of competencies. He or she needs to be a consistent student who pays attention in class and does well in extracurricular activities. For the simple reason that no intelligent and hardworking kid would ever be considered for leadership. Student leaders are most often selected from among those who participate fully in all activities.

Leadership in Organization

Leadership in an organization, also known as organizational leadership, is the process of establishing long-term objectives that further the company's mission and help it reach its ultimate destination. This is a classic illustration of how Bill Gates often works with his team: they agree on a strategy, and Gates implements it. To the same extent, it is the responsibility of the leader in each given organization to determine what it is that the group is trying to accomplish.

Leadership in Politics

Leadership in politics, also known as political leadership, is the process of becoming actively involved in a political party in the role of a party leader. Knowledge of political processes, their outcomes, and the political agenda is central to the idea of political leadership.

An effective leader can be developed in anyone who has the determination and drives to do so. Both the strengths and the areas for improvement should be nurtured. Whether in the classroom, the workplace, or the political arena, leadership is always necessary. Therefore, one can exercise leadership anywhere they like inside their own organization.

What are the types of Leadership?

The ability to lead is a rare trait that not everyone possesses. The ability to do so is a gift, so count your blessings if you possess it. It's recommended that you hone it even more so that you can propel your career forward and serve as an example to people around you. However, it is crucial to grasp the various leadership styles before you go ahead and polish your skills.

Types of Leadership Styles

Democratic Leadership

In this style of management, subordinates are given a voice in decision-making. Although the subordinates' efforts are highlighted, the leader is ultimately held responsible for the group's actions. Many people find this type of leadership to be effective.

Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders motivate and inspire others to adopt new behaviors and ways of thinking in order to improve their own performance and that of their teams and organizations. A transformational leader is someone who encourages their team to strive for greater things and works to boost morale and output.

Team Leadership

A good leader fully incorporates his team into the task at hand. Members of the team are motivated to reach their goals and advance in their careers thanks to the leadership of the group.

Strategic Leadership

It requires a chief executive who doesn't restrict himself to brainstorming sessions with his superiors. He contributes on every level of the team. He is well-liked for his ability to unite the need for fresh ideas with the necessity of grounding them in reality.

Autocratic Leadership

The leader in a command and control structure is the center of attention. The chief executive has absolute power in this setting. He decides things on his own, without polling his staff. He relays this information to his staff and stresses the importance of swift action. The buck stops with him, and he alone must answer for his actions. Not much room for negotiation exists. It's no secret that this method of leading has its detractors.

Visionary Leadership

This kind of leader appreciates the abilities and requirements of his team members. He describes his ideal outcome and the teamwork that will be necessary to attain it.

Coaching Leadership

Leaders who coach their teams do so regularly in an effort to raise output. He inspires his employees to do better and works to keep them motivated. This approach to leadership has been much praised.

Facilitative Leadership

With occasional guidance, a facilitative leader ensures that the process runs smoothly for his team. As a precaution in case his team is ineffective. If the team is highly effective, the leader will take a hands-off approach.

Cross-Cultural Leadership

The leadership of this type is necessary when interacting with people from various cultural backgrounds. Because of the wide variety of cultures represented in the workforce across the United States, many managers and executives hold cross-cultural positions.

Laissez-Faire Leadership

The members of the team are given responsibility in this style of management. They are free to choose how they spend their time at work, with minimal oversight from the boss. It's not a good way to lead, according to experts.

Transactional Leadership

An interactive approach is integral to this kind of leadership. When team members successfully implement their leader's ideas and choices, they are rewarded with immediate, material benefits.

Charismatic Leadership

In order to bring out the best in his followers, this kind of leader makes the effort to change their attitudes, values, and actions.

This article should dispel the notion that leadership qualities can't be further subdivided. It should also assist you in pinpointing your own personal brand of leadership so you can perfect it over time.

Final Words

In conclusion, leadership is a complex and multifaceted concept that involves various qualities and skills. Effective leaders possess traits such as integrity, vision, empathy, decisiveness, and the ability to inspire and motivate others. They are able to navigate challenges, make difficult decisions, and lead their team toward success. Leadership also involves continuous learning and self-improvement, as leaders must adapt to changing circumstances and remain relevant. Effective leadership can have a positive impact on both individuals and organizations, fostering growth and creating a culture of success.

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Leadership Competencies

7 bad leadership qualities CEOs should avoid

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CEOs often prefer to focus on the positive. After all, it’s a good place to start when it comes to learning lessons and finding takeaways from both successes and miscues.

But CEOs also benefit from learning how to recognize when they’re exhibiting bad leadership qualities. And by approaching this self-examination with vulnerability and an open mind, CEOs can design a better leadership path moving forward.

Longtime Vistage Chairs Mike Malone and Cindy Mascheroni candidly spoke about the top 7 bad leadership qualities CEOs should avoid and suggested 3 questions to ask as a starting point.

These questions can help identify whether these tendencies show up in your own leadership style.

1. You don’t hold yourself accountable and place blame on others

As a CEO, owning up to your own mistakes builds credibility and trust. Your position and influence have nothing to do with looking good and everything to do with how you serve and sacrifice for your staff.

Fear is the enemy of humility, says Malone. Learn to show up fearlessly every day and be ready to think of yourself less, and you’ll convey commitment, creativity, innovation and admiration to your qualities says Malone.

“Everyone is watching you,” Malone says. “The worst kinds of leaders don’t take responsibility and are not accountable. They think they know everything and won’t take advice from anyone.”

Malone, a longtime leader in the business and military worlds, says that in his peer advisory group, he encourages CEOs to look at their reflection, do the work and improve on their poor habits and bad leadership qualities.

“Even though it’s not a platoon, we sort of act like one and hold each other accountable,” the former Marine says.

Leaders take responsibility for everything, and leaders should learn to turn missteps in their decision-making into opportunities to learn rather than point fingers.

“Asking the right questions is often more important than having all the answers,” says Handel.

Ask yourself: What could I have done differently?

2. you act like a bully.

This is a category of bad leader that stands on its own, Malone says.

“Nobody likes them,” he says. “They don’t ‘lead.’ Nobody really follows. And they are totally ineffective.”

Bullies are rarely successful, Malone stresses. Belittling and humiliating others erodes trust. Effective leaders are committed to the individual contributors and the team.

For Malone, he thinks of a football team. “As a CEO, you want to provide resources for success, invest the time, provide the training, equipment, and support needed. And remember to listen.”

Malone encourages leaders to display respectful behavior and actively engage with their teams. Effective leaders also communicate clearly.

Most issues stem from lack of communication between leaders and their employees, including not having the proper resources, direction and tools to lead an organization.

Introspection and comparing/contrasting good vs. bad leaders is one way to begin assessing if you possess this leadership quality, Malone says.

3. You don’t actively listen

“A good leader listens and a bad leader doesn’t listen,” Malone says.

Start by improving your active listening skills. Begin with the 3 A’s: attitude, attention, and adjustment.

• Having a good attitude means approaching criticism with respect and an understanding that there is always something new to be learned from others.
• To be a good listener, you must have a good attention span. That means focusing on the individual talking to you and avoiding distractions or wandering thoughts.
• Finally, adjustment is simply keeping an open mind to what the other person has to say.

No CEO sets out to purposely ignore or brush off others’ input but they can be oblivious to doing just that.

“Self-awareness, recognizing old patterns and being conscious of them is key to change,” Mascheroni says, who adds that she, like Malone, continually looks in the mirror to evaluate her progress.

4. You’re oblivious to weaknesses

Leaders sometimes claim to know their strengths and weaknesses; however, these shortcomings can be hard to identify. Often, they are the result of inaction.

Everyone else can see this clearly, except for the individual struggling to acknowledge their flaws. Self-awareness can help leaders see their weaknesses.

Mascheroni suggests a comprehensive, 360 assessment to become conscious of your blind spots and behavior patterns that limit your effectiveness. This will help you discover the one area where change would create the highest leverage.

From there, raising your level of awareness — coupled with asking for regular feedback as you practice a new behavior — will accelerate your transformation.

Ask yourself: What’s one step toward humility that I will make today?

5. you act selfishly.

Both Malone and Mascheroni say they learned from good leaders who modeled selfless leadership. Mascheroni observed her parents’ authentic caring, which built trust with employees and clients at their small business.

“My dad really loved his clients. At 82 years old, with a few months to live, he asked me to drive him to visit a client who wanted his help with a decision. Serving clients was his passion. And mom really cared about their employees,” Mascheroni added. “It has been 20 years since running the business and former employees still keep in touch with mom.”

6. You’re indecisive

“Good leaders are decisive and bad leaders are not. And good leaders also recognize that decisions are not necessarily permanent,” advises Malone.

Effective CEOs clearly communicate the purpose of something and their expectations. Malone says this juxtaposes the ineffective leadership traits: “Bad leaders provide no direction, no instructions. Employees are kept in the dark.”

If you are seeing these types of patterns or are identifying your own bad behavior by looking in the proverbial mirror, then you’re on the right track. If you ask the right questions and make an honest assessment of yourself, you can train yourself to behave better.

Ask yourself: What fears dictate some of my decisions?

7. you aren’t willing to keep learning.

Malone and Mascheroni are both CEOs and professional coaches who are open to coaching. They understand the value of continuous learning and growth, especially in this complex and changing business environment.

“One powerful way to accelerate your learning as a CEO is to join a diverse peer group where you can learn from each other’s experiences, gain perspective, and be accountable to your decisions and results. A strong group will also hold up that mirror for you to see your blind spots and take responsibility,” Mascheroni says.

Related Resources

3 reasons why gratitude in leadership is essential to success

3 essential leadership accountability tips for CEOs

Category: Leadership Competencies

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Characteristics of a Bad Leader: 9 Qualities/Traits

• Post author: Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC
• Post published: April 2, 2022
• Post category: Scholarly Articles

Characteristics of A Bad Leader : Over the years, there had been people who came and lead the society, some history has recorded and some have been ignored by history. There had been numbers of individuals who had lead the people but these leaders exhibited some inhume characteristics towards the people in which they led. This one could ask if it still made them leaders, having in mind who a leader is.

A leader is a person who could see how things are not going on well and would want to improve and fix it. He rallies people to move towards a better vision and path which he sees. A leader is a person who is in charge and convinces people to follow him.

Bad leadership: Bad leadership could be defined as the process of ruling a particular people without possessing the good leadership qualities which include humility, sense of responsibility and the rest.

Recommended: Major Qualities of a good leader

9 Qualities/Characteristics or traits of a Bad Leader

1. Avoids Conflict: Be it the fact that the conflict is between the heads of departments or the team members, dealing directly with the conflict as a leader is of paramount importance for the progress and effective workspace relationship between the workers. By not dealing with said conflict, or hoping that it would be settled naturally would give rise to a bad leader and he is not only ignoring a conflict but is also letting the said situation to fester.

This conflict will still have to be dealt with but by the time the situation has been addressed, it must have escalated into a bigger problem or conflict. A good leader is not denied the knowledge that he cannot make everyone happy; therefore, he tries his best to keep his decision making in check.

2. Unpredictability: This type of characteristics could take many forms. However, a team or employees needs to be able to predict what their boss or leader wants in other to deliver or have a form of autonomy in delivering their jobs and in doing it. Not being able to predict their leader may lead them into a system of micromanagement. Having to approve each decision out of fear of reprisal is a failure in leadership which is equal to bad leadership.

Also, employees in any establishment need a form of sense of stability in order to feel safe and do their works effectively. For example, if the employees know that their employers reaction to a bad news is dependent on his mood for the day, they would find it challenging to relay a bad news to him each time and in turn be walking on eggshells all the time as they do not know or have an inclination of the effect their next move will have on the boss.

People who are hesitant to do things without thinking about it or putting it into consideration make very poor leaders. Sending mixed signals is one of the characteristics of a bad leader.

Recommended: Qualities of a good and qualified teacher

3. Not a Forward Thinker: A good leader is one who always thinks of innovative ways to move the business and the people forward, and he is one who is not satisfied with status quo. However, a bad leader is one who does otherwise.

A bad leader on his own stead is more satisfied than surviving and still existing than moving forward, growing, and thriving. A good leader would want to always improve, always thinking about the way forward, always providing solutions to problems, always extending hands to his followers and the rest of them.

4. A Know it all: A good leader knows that he does not know it all and that there is always room for improvement, there is no reason for them to be right or even be the smartest person in the room; they are always open to paying attention and learning from others. They know the right people to go ask advice from and whom to avoid taking advice from.

However, a bad leader is one who poses to be a know it all, he does not take any form of advice from people nor input any from a superior. Taking advantage of the wealth of knowledge and talent which are available to them is one thing they do not consider doing as they are just bad leaders.

Also see: Youngest presidents in the world and their country

5. Self-centered: Asides the fact that self-centered people are miserable to be with, self-centered people make bad leaders. When a leader is self-centered, he takes credit for all the achievements, successes, and in return blame his followers for all the failures encountered in the process.

This on the part of the staffs would lead to the demoralization of the staffs and in turn lead to business failure. The Rotary Club does have a saying that goes: “Service Above Self”. This means that only a science of right conduct towards others pays. Business is the science of human services. It profits most who serves his fellows best.

6. Setting Unrealistic Expectations: There are a few things which makes a hardworking team feel worse and that is failing to meet the expectations of their leaders. One of the qualities that makes one a bad leader is setting unrealistic expectation and expectations which the team would never hope to achieve and sometimes, it is also set at unrealistic times. After setting those unrealistic goals, the employees or team would have to pour out their blood, sweat, and tears and still not reach the already set goals of the leaders.

This form of practice by the leaders would in the long run cause an irreparable damage to both the leaders and his employees, or team. This is as a result of the fact that the leaders have a set out work goals and the followers would try but still not reach that goal already set. This could lead to conflict and distrust, so a good leader should always pay attention to his expectations.

Recommended: How to become a successful entrepreneur

7. Focusing on Bottom-Line Revenue: As there are more to life than money, there are more to business than finances. The inability to understand and believe this is one of the most visible qualities of a bad leader. This of course should with the doctrine that money is one of the most important things needed in a business.

However, when the leaders focus solely on the income which would increase their pockets by the end of the day to the detriment of every other thing, they would risk alienating the workers in which they need the most. The satisfactions of the employees are as important as the income which comes into the business. This is because, when the employees are driven away by focusing on the wrong areas of the business or prioritizing the wrong thing, they do loss out on so much more other than the money.

8. Not Focused On the Customer: A good leader should be one who is focused on the customer in other to make sure that the customers are satisfied. They need to identify their market and know whom they are serving, and how they can satisfy their needs better than others who provide same needs. If a leader is not focused on doing this, he or she is a bad leader.

Recommended: How to start a business with small capital and be successful

9. Poor Communication Skills: A good leader should be able to communicate rightly with his followers in a variety of ways. A leader who cannot do this is not a good leader. A leader who has poor approach with human communication should not lead as it would turn to bad leadership.

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.

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8 Essential Qualities of Successful Leaders

• Rebecca Knight

And how to cultivate them.

Becoming a great leader is a journey of continuous learning and growth. It’s a process — one that thrives on embracing challenges, seeking feedback, fostering connections, and cultivating understanding. In this article, the author outlines the eight most essential leadership qualities, according to Harvard Business School professor Linda Hill, one of the world’s top experts on leadership. Star leaders aren’t born with superhuman capabilities, Linda explains. Rather, they tend to have intentionally put themselves in situations where they have to learn, adapt, and grow — a crucible for developing the tenacity and fortitude to motivate and guide others.

Do you have what it takes to be a great leader ?

• RK Rebecca Knight is a journalist who writes about all things related to the changing nature of careers and the workplace. Her essays and reported stories have been featured in The Boston Globe, Business Insider, The New York Times, BBC, and The Christian Science Monitor. She was shortlisted as a Reuters Institute Fellow at Oxford University in 2023. Earlier in her career, she spent a decade as an editor and reporter at the Financial Times in New York, London, and Boston.

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Odysseus — Odysseus Bad Leader

Odysseus Bad Leader

• Categories: Leadership Odysseus

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Words: 598 |

Published: Mar 19, 2024

Words: 598 | Page: 1 | 3 min read

The Flaws in Odysseus' Leadership

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Why so many bad bosses still rise to the top

Hot air rises —and so, unfortunately, do many of the aspiring leaders who spout it. Why do we continue to mistake confidence for competence, and what should we be doing differently?

In this episode of McKinsey Talks Talent , Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, author of Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders?: (And How to Fix It) (Harvard Business Review Press, March 2019), joins McKinsey talent leaders Bryan Hancock  and Brooke Weddle , as well as global editorial director Lucia Rahilly, to discuss why the traits that propel us to the top seem to diverge so widely from those that make us great leaders—as well as how to choose stronger, more successful, and more diverse candidates for leadership roles.

The conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

How do leaders rise?

Lucia Rahilly: It’s with both great glee and a genuinely heavy heart that we begin our topic for today and talk about Tomas’s research on why so many incompetent men rise to leadership positions. It’s a serious and, in some cases, devastating issue. What prompted you to pursue this particular line of research?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: I was interested in knowing the truth. What is it that propels some people to leadership roles ? Why are some people effective or ineffective when they get to those roles? Gender was actually a peripheral variable.

Our research was focused on abilities, competencies, interests, and personalities, but of course, we collected data on age, gender, and socioeconomic status. We found a remarkable gap whereby gender was one of the strongest predictors of why people reach leadership roles through nomination, selection, or election.

We also saw the effect of gender on predicting performance once they got to occupy those positions. We saw that we didn’t select leaders on the basis of talent, merit, or potential. That’s the main conclusion of the research.

Lucia Rahilly: Lest we lose the majority of our male audience, let us be clear: men also suffer the consequences of bad leadership. The stakes are high for all of us in hiring and cultivating good leaders. This isn’t just a female issue or an identity politics issue, correct?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: It doesn’t really matter whether the person in charge identifies as male or female. The important thing is that when they are competent, we all benefit. We are more productive, more engaged, and less likely to engage in antisocial behavior. Fundamentally, competent men should relish the transition to a meritocratic system, whereby people achieve leadership roles based on their talent and potential, because there are many competent men who are, ironically or paradoxically, overlooked for leadership roles.

This is precisely because they have some of the qualities— empathy, self-awareness, integrity, and humility —that ultimately make them better leaders but don’t really make them leaders to begin with. If you succeed at playing within the current rules of the game, you’re going to get further, but then you’re going to make things worse. And if you don’t, you might never be selected. This is the interesting conundrum that we should be addressing when we talk about things like gender diversity.

Empathy and gender

Bryan Hancock: One of the interesting pieces of research in your book is that women, on the whole, have a similar IQ to men but have higher EQs [emotional intelligence], although the difference in EQ between men and women is no more than 15 percent. While women’s tendency to have higher EQs can help explain why there are fewer women in leadership, there may also be a large number of men who are competent, who have high EQs, who are the nice guys, and who may not rise to the top.

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: We have this paradoxical situation wherein if we made leadership selection gender blind and only focused on the traits that have proved to lead to more effective leadership styles and approaches, we would end up not only with more women in leadership roles but also slightly more women than men in them. There’s this underlying assumption in gender diversity interventions that, because most leaders are male, there’s something we need to do to help women who are not as naturally predisposed to being good leaders.

It’s actually the other way around. There’s a lot of antimeritocratic and implicit positive discrimination going on that favors not just men but overconfident, narcissistic, and incompetent men when it comes to leadership roles.

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Lucia Rahilly: What does the research tell us about women in leadership roles?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: Often, even when women are appointed to very senior leadership roles, it isn’t because people have embraced what they bring to the table in terms of EQ, self-awareness, self-control, integrity, humility, people skills, et cetera. Rather, it’s because they go for a profile of somebody who may be biologically female but out-males males in masculinity. So there’s a queen bee or Margaret Thatcher phenomenon. In fact, there are many countries in the world that are run by women who look more alpha male than their male competitors.

The point is not to have more biological women in charge but to have better leaders in charge. And if we don’t understand that we should optimize for a more feminine, empathetic, or competent style, whether it’s displayed by women or men, we run into problems.

We’re also much more likely to remember failures in leadership when the leaders are female. If you look for an arguably psychopathic, narcissistic, and very toxic leader who became very rich and famous, for every female case, there’s probably nine or ten male cases. The male cases make for great movies like The Wolf of Wall Street . But when the leaders happen to be female, we’re more likely to hear, “Oh, my God, women shouldn’t be leaders.”

Three steps forward

Brooke Weddle: Tomas, there’s so much to unpack in that, and I feel my blood pressure rising. It’s like a personal engagement here, as well. How do you even begin to penetrate this? We put women in leadership training programs  to try to level the playing field. They’re very well intentioned, but it sounds like the treatment should be applied to male, rather than female, leaders, who could strengthen their EQs. How do you have that conversation with leaders so as to inspire them to think differently?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: There are three basic steps that I tend to follow. The first is to get leaders to show me how they know that the current leadership is actually adding the most amount of value. In most organizations, there’s a discrepancy between individual or personal career success on the one hand and value added to the organization on the other. Companies should start to decrease that.

The second one is to focus on the business case. Leaders should be committed to elevating the quality of leadership, because that’s good for revenues, profitability, innovation, et cetera.

And the third one is to try to make leadership selection gender blind. I always say the best gender diversity intervention is done by focusing on talent, rather than gender. If you focus on gender, you may or may not increase the quality of your leaders. But if you focus on talent, you will probably increase the competence and quality of your leaders, as well as increase gender representation.

Measuring change and evaluating impact are really important, because there are a lot of well-meaning interventions that don’t necessarily translate into good outcomes. Pointing the finger at women and blaming them for not applying for jobs when they don’t meet the qualifications or requirements is one of them. So is blaming women for not leaning in or speaking in meetings when they have nothing to say. Mansplaining things is another one.

There’s also the accusation against women of having imposter syndrome  and the implication that because they are pathologically insecure, they will never be leaders. There are a lot of these well-meaning approaches or intentions that will, when we look back in 50 years’ time, hopefully be understood as benevolent sexism.

Will technology help or hurt?

Bryan Hancock: I want to link this to some of your other research on AI  and generative AI [gen AI], as it relates to selection. AI ramps down the relative importance of technical skill. Therefore, interpersonal skills become even more important. And at the same time, there are some new tools that enable you to understand who has a higher EQ and who could be a real leader in ways that traditional assessments haven’t been able to. Could you comment on how you see AI changing what we’re seeing in selection  and maybe ramping up the underlying thesis of your book even further?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: Even if we are skeptical of the whole gen AI hype, it is true that it commoditizes knowledge and access to knowledge. And so, there’s a much weaker case for selecting people for leadership roles based on what they know. It used to be about having the answers to a lot of questions. Now, it’s more about asking the right questions. The leaders of today, and especially of the future, will be chosen based on their ability to inspire, to motivate, to connect with others at an emotional level, and to understand people on a human and humane level.

On the other hand, when you talk to people about AI and its connection to recruitment, they think that this is going to introduce bias to human society. Instead, what AI does is expose those biases. When companies try to use gen AI to select leaders and they find out that the algorithm nominates men 80 percent of the time and women 20 percent, it’s not the algorithm of the AI that is sexist. It’s the system that is providing the training data for the AI to learn from—and replicate what has succeeded in the past—that is sexist. With the opportunity to use AI and data more broadly and to remove some of the biases and flows of intuitive human thinking that have led us to where we are today, it's not that I have a lot of confidence in AI. Rather, I'm very aware of human stupidity, which gives me some confidence in AI.

Competence and capital

Brooke Weddle: When it comes to identifying and selecting leaders, or future leaders, you mention three kinds of capital  in your research: intellectual, social, and psychological capital. I loved that. I wonder if you could help define those terms for us here.

And then the second part of my question is, is there any organization out there or type of organization that is able to assess for those different kinds of capital well, and has that produced a different outcome?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: Intellectual capital is your knowledge, your expertise, and your experience—the stuff that you might report on your résumé or on your LinkedIn profile. And it includes your titles, capabilities, languages, et cetera.

Social capital is interesting, because it could be a euphemism for nepotism. On the one hand, many people said in the ’50s and the ’60s that “contacts mean contracts.” That is, the more people you know, the more successful you are. It’s important that we develop our networks, strong ties, and weak ties, et cetera. But at the same time, social capital is also conflated with privilege. It also means, “Oh, I can speak to this person, and they’ll get me a job,” even though there are systems in place to make things a little more equal and meritocratic. But social capital still matters.

Psychological capital means your learning ability, curiosity, grit, resilience, self-control, EQ, empathy, and integrity. Those things are normally distributed in the population. You have more or less of them, irrespective of where you were born and what you actually know. It’s in the interest of any organization to focus more on that part and less on the others.

Who’s doing it properly? No one is—at least not to the point that my utopian academic imagination wants to see happening. First of all, you can look at organizations with very strong programs that use evidence-based people analytics and try to use proper assessments and de-emphasize the value of interviews. They’re trying to fundamentally connect input with output and hire people based on competencies and see how they perform as leaders in their teams and organizations.

In recent years, I have seen organizations say, “We are on a quest to de-emphasize the importance of CVs and résumés for a lot of these jobs.” And that is their challenge; most of them haven’t cracked it yet.

Why EQ matters

Bryan Hancock: Tomas, can I go back and get us to say more about why having a higher EQ makes you a better manager and leader?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: If you look at emotional intelligence as intrapersonal and interpersonal skills and if you’re managing people, it’s important that you also manage yourself. It’s important that you control your temper. It’s important that you evoke and display the right emotions. It’s important that you can empathize with others and connect with them on a human level. It’s important that you understand people as individuals. It’s important that you read between the lines, that you get the signs, and that you can meet people where they want to be met—whether it’s in person or via email, WhatsApp, Slack, et cetera.

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All these things are very important. And we know from lots of research that the higher your EQ is, the more likely you are to do these things and the more likely it is that your team is engaged and productive, that you have high ratings on a 360-degree review, and that your team outperforms competitors.

Now for the part that people don’t like as much. If you look at the typical manager or leader with high EQ, they’re probably quite boring, quite bland, and predictable. Mostly, they’re somebody who makes rational decisions, doesn’t want to be the center of attention, is unglamorous, listens to others, and puts the team first.

Conversely, when people have a boss who is bombastic, excitable, and has a low EQ, that creates a lot of stress. So even though it doesn’t sound quite as cool to say, “Ooh, I love my boss, because they are very boring,” that’s actually almost the best-case scenario.

Don’t fall into the pool with Narcissus

Bryan Hancock: Why is it that we like narcissists?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: The best explanation was given by Freud. Basically, it’s a subliminal and acceptable way to love ourselves. They promise us the world and tell us that we are amazing and that we should follow them, because they know the answers to all the questions and they are invincible. They seduce us with these megalomaniac visions. It’s a very populist and seductive strategy. We’re seduced by them, and in the modern era, we have come to this notion that leaders have to be entertaining and charismatic.

Whereas 300,000 years ago, we could look at some of our hunter-gatherer ancestors or their teammates or group-mates and say, “Okay, they’re strong, they’re brave, they’re courageous, and they’re a good hunter or a good gatherer.” So as reality becomes more complex, leadership becomes harder to grasp, and then we become lazier.

Brooke Weddle: Tomas, it sounds like you’re saying that narcissism, and maybe its appeal, is increasing. Do you think that EQ is in decline?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: Yes. Certain elements of EQ are declining as narcissism goes up, and there’s a lot of evidence for this. The social psychologist Jean Twenge has published Generation Me [Atria Books, September 2014] and other books, tracking the narcissistic epidemic throughout the decades. Not just from one generation to another, but over the years in America and other countries.

If narcissism increases and if that means we are becoming more deluded and less self-aware, then that also means EQ is going down. On the other hand, our interactions with technology and our dependence on validation and approval from others mean that we are becoming more neurotic, more impulsive, and more insecure.

There are two very different types of narcissism. One is the psychotic, deluded type, wherein you really believe your own hype and you’re disconnected from reality. That’s a very effective strategy for convincing others to follow you.

Then, there’s the so-called vulnerable or neurotic type, which is the one that is most prevalent, especially if you look at teenagers or younger generations. Put simply, it’s when you want to believe that you’re as great and as good and as talented as your parents maybe told you that you are. But you don’t quite believe it, so you’re desperately seeking validation and approval from others. It’s why people get clinically depressed if they post an update on social media of their traveling to a fancy island or remote destination and only one or two people like that update.

As I have written, gen AI is so good at copying humans and so similar to human intelligence that it almost behaves like a neurotic or vulnerable narcissist. You say, “Hey, ChatGPT, can you give me a thousand words on medieval history in Italy?” And the response is, “Well, you know, I’m just a large language model. I don’t know anything about the subject. But here’s a thousand words, and I hope you like me.” It has copied us very well, because it’s more confident than competent. But if you scratch beneath the surface, under that confidence, there’s a lot of insecurity.

Bryan Hancock: If narcissism is going up and it’s harder in a complex world to figure out what we’re really looking for in leaders, is there any hope that tools and technology can help us identify folks with good EQs or provide nudges for us to deepen our empathy?

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: Technology isn’t going to solve that problem, but it can actually be used for self-assessment or to provide evidence for or shed light on how we’re doing on these issues. If you look at social media as a whole, it’s like an enormous social experiment that enables us to study behaviors in real time.

What to do differently

Lucia Rahilly: Tomas, as we move toward this imperative to really identify and cultivate genuine leadership potential, talk to us about other traits that, in the assessment process, we should be mindful not to misconstrue.

Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic: We should try to ignore everything that is style and not substance. We should also de-emphasize things like credentials, expertise, and experience , especially when they apply to something people have done before but is not so relevant for the future. Today, most of us are less likely to lose our jobs to AI than to reimagine our current roles while working out how to use AI to add value in different ways. I would say less focus on hard skills and more focus on the right soft skills.

There should be less focus on individualistic, selfish, egotistical, and career-enhancing traits and dispositions and more focus on those that make other people better. Fundamentally, leaders need to make other people better, including by helping them collaborate effectively. If you look at that, then you’re going to have a selection of individuals who are predisposed for leadership roles and who look very different from the majority of leaders today, whether they are male or female.

Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is a professor of business psychology at Columbia University and University College London and the chief innovation officer at ManpowerGroup. Bryan Hancock and Brooke Weddle are partners in McKinsey’s Washington, DC, office; and Lucia Rahilly is global editorial director and deputy publisher of McKinsey Global Publishing and is based in the New York office.

Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.

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Warren Buffett Leadership Analysis

This essay about Warren Buffett’s leadership style, showcasing his blend of transformational and servant leadership, commitment to integrity, strategic delegation, investment philosophy, and effective communication. It highlights how Buffett’s emphasis on ethical conduct, long-term value, decentralized decision-making, and clear communication has shaped Berkshire Hathaway into a stable and respected conglomerate. His leadership transcends mere corporate management, serving as a model for aspiring leaders seeking to build enduring success with integrity and humility.

How it works

Warren Buffett, known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” has long been celebrated not only for his astute investment prowess but also for his distinctive leadership style. This essay delves into the nuances of Buffett’s leadership, exploring how his qualities and decisions have shaped Berkshire Hathaway into a behemoth of stability and success in the volatile world of finance.

Buffett’s approach to leadership is notably characterized by a blend of transformational and servant leadership styles. His focus is not solely on the end results or the profits but significantly on the values and the development of people within his organization.

This approach has cultivated a culture of trust and respect which is palpable across the various companies under Berkshire Hathaway’s umbrella.

Central to Buffett’s leadership philosophy is his commitment to integrity and ethical conduct. He famously advised, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” This maxim underscores the ethical underpinnings of his decision-making process and has earned him immense respect within and beyond the business community. Buffett’s emphasis on long-term value over short-term gain, and his insistence on transparency and fairness, have been pivotal in establishing Berkshire Hathaway’s reputation as a stable and reliable investment.

Another cornerstone of Buffett’s leadership is his approach to delegation. He is known for buying companies that already have strong leaders and then allowing them substantial autonomy. This decentralization of power is somewhat rare in conglomerates of Berkshire’s size but is integral to Buffett’s strategy of building a durable enterprise. He believes in hiring people who are not only smarter than him but also capable of running their operations without his day-to-day interference. This empowerment not only drives efficiency but also fosters a sense of accountability and ownership among the leaders of the various Berkshire subsidiaries.

Buffett’s investment philosophy, deeply intertwined with his leadership style, also speaks volumes about his vision. He invests in companies with what he calls a “moat” — a unique advantage that allows them to fend off competition and sustain profitability over long periods. This strategy of picking winners based on enduring qualities mirrors his approach to leadership — focusing on enduring values and long-term growth rather than short-term metrics.

Moreover, Buffett’s communication style is another aspect of his leadership worth noting. He is known for his candid and comprehensible letters to shareholders, which are sprinkled with humor and anecdotes. These communications are not just updates; they are insights into his thinking process, a tool for mentoring his vast audience in the principles of investing and leadership. This approach not only reinforces trust and transparency but also solidifies his role as a leader who educates and uplifts his stakeholders.

In conclusion, Warren Buffett’s leadership analysis reveals a multifaceted approach where ethical considerations, strategic delegation, a focus on sustainable advantages, and effective communication are paramount. His ability to maintain a humble persona despite immense success, coupled with his unwavering focus on building a principled company culture, sets him apart as a leader. His leadership transcends the confines of mere corporate management to embody a philosophy that other leaders can aspire to emulate. Buffett’s legacy, therefore, will likely be measured not just in the financial performance of Berkshire Hathaway, but in the widespread respect and admiration he commands—an enduring testament to the power of leading by example.

Remember, this essay is a starting point for inspiration and further research. For more personalized assistance and to ensure your essay meets all academic standards, consider reaching out to professionals at [EduBirdie](https://edubirdie.com/?utm_source=chatgpt&utm_medium=answer&utm_campaign=essayhelper).

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Who will be dumb enough to become Donald Trump's vice president?

The position of trump's vice president brings with it the kind of job safety only found among nervous snake handlers and crash-test dummies..

One of the biggest questions swirling around Donald Trump’s reelection campaign – aside from “ Will he or won’t he be a convicted felon ?” and “Are we really doing this again, people?” – is a tricky one: Who will be the former president and current criminal defendant’s vice presidential candidate ?

That anyone would consider applying for the job is remarkable. It’s like asking for volunteers to report for sticking-your-finger-in-a-light-socket duty. The position of Trump’s vice president brings with it the kind of job safety only found among nervous snake handlers and crash-test dummies.

And yet, people are actually vying for the gig. A pack of them descended on South Florida this weekend to debase themselves before a twice-impeached former one-term president who demands absolute loyalty while dispensing none.

A parade of hapless souls are actually hoping to be Trump's VP pick

Among the reported contenders are billionaire North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, former GOP presidential candidate Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina and Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio – who once called Trump a “con artist” and said that “he has spent his entire career sticking it to the little guy” – was there as well, presumably traveling in his hermetically sealed Bubble of Hypocrisy.

Also in contention for the VP slot, I assume, is a full-length mirror that tells Trump how handsome he is every time he gazes into it and a golden box that emits a recorded message – “You’re absolutely right, sir!” – whenever a button on top of it is pressed.

Who will be Trump's VP? Please let Donald Trump pick Katie Britt as his vice president. It'd be a hoot.

But wait. Where's Mike Pence in all this VP talk?

Notably absent from the Cynical South Florida Keister Smooch Fest of 2024 was former actual Vice President Mike Pence, who had the audacity to not help Trump do a coup and is now persona non grata in the MAGA wing of the GOP. That a former president’s own vice president won’t even endorse his current presidential run is a staggering fact that’s often overlooked, probably because that former president is already drowning in dozens of indictments and keeps falling asleep during his first criminal trial.

But I digress.

Just trust Trump. When has he ever made a bad decision?

Whatever Trump took away from this weekend’s parade of potential victims, the timing of his decision is anybody’s guess.

Newt Gingrich, who swapped his spine for a MAGA hat some time ago, told USA TODAY : “I’m relaxing and watching to see what (Trump) does; he will only do it out of intuition.”

Ah, yes. That famous Trump intuition. The one that led to repeated bankruptcies and business failures and a failed reelection bid and a small army of former Cabinet members whom he hired and now describes as a collection of ninnies and jerks.

Rather than posit which sucker Trump will wind up picking (although my money’s on the compliment-dispensing mirror), it seems easier to map out the requirements for the position of Trump’s vice presidential candidate.

Dog killing could cost Noem VP: Who knew Americans liked puppies?

7 requirements to be Trump's vice president

• All candidates’ souls must have fully vacated their bodies, along with all dignity, morals and sense of self-worth.
• The ability to always agree with Trump is essential. If Trump says “2+2 = 5,” the candidates must be willing to accept that as fact and order the imprisonment of any and all math teachers who disagree.
• Logical consistency is not considered an asset, and the candidates must be ready and willing to loudly yell things that are transparently false and, often, make no sense whatsoever.
• An ideal candidate must be comfortable with potentially being hanged by an angry mob.
• Candidates who have not murdered dogs are preferred. (Sorry, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem .)
• The candidates must be willing to listen to Donald Trump Jr.’s podcast and engage in at least one conversation per month with Eric Trump without laughing.
• And finally, all candidates must be not only willing but excited to have every ounce of their decency and credibility vaporized in service to a man who wouldn’t spit on them if they were on fire.

Any of the morally pliable folks who pandered their way to South Florida this weekend have a chance at getting picked. But like I said, if we’re being honest, the full-length mirror is a clear front-runner.

Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on X, formerly Twitter,  @RexHuppke  and Facebook  facebook.com/RexIsAJerk

Dan Schneider Sues ‘Quiet on Set’ Producers for Defamation, Calls Nickelodeon Abuse Docuseries a ‘Hit Job’

By Ethan Shanfeld

Ethan Shanfeld

• Anitta Reflects on Dreaming Big in Brazil and Breaking the ‘Rules’ of Being a Woman: ‘I Wanted to Shake My Ass. I Wanted to Be Free’ 5 days ago
• Dan Schneider Sues ‘Quiet on Set’ Producers for Defamation, Calls Nickelodeon Abuse Docuseries a ‘Hit Job’ 6 days ago
• Death Threats, Divorce and Plastic Surgery: Gypsy Rose Blanchard Says ‘I Am in a Different Form of Prison’ in Lifetime Series Trailer 6 days ago

Dan Schneider has filed a defamation lawsuit against the producers of the Investigation Discovery docuseries “ Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV ,” which uncovered alleged abuse and misconduct at Nickelodeon and became Max’s biggest streaming title ever .

Popular on Variety

Schneider himself said in a video posted after the launch of “Quiet on Set,” “Watching over the past two nights was very difficult. Facing my past behaviors, some of which are embarrassing and that I regret. I definitely owe some people a pretty strong apology.”

In a separate statement sent to Variety alongside the legal complaint, Schneider wrote: “Recently the docuseries ‘Quiet on Set’ highlighted mistakes I made and poor judgment I exhibited during my time at Nickelodeon, most of which happened decades ago during my early career as a producer, working on shows for Tollin/Robbins Productions. There is no doubt that I was sometimes a bad leader. I am sincerely apologetic and regretful for that behavior, and I will continue to take accountability for it. However, after seeing ‘Quiet on Set’ and its trailer, and the reactions to them, I sadly have no choice but to take legal action against the people behind it. In their successful attempt to mislead viewers and increase ratings, they went beyond reporting the truth and falsely implied that I was involved in or facilitated horrific crimes for which actual child predators have been prosecuted and convicted.”

Schneider continued: “I have no objection to anyone highlighting my failures as a boss, but it is wrong to mislead millions of people to the false conclusion that I was in any way involved in heinous acts like those committed by child predators. I owe it to myself, my family, and the many wonderful people involved in making these shows to set the record straight.”

Variety has reached out to ID for comment.

In addition to Dan Schneider, “Quiet on Set” also investigates other people working at Nickelodeon at the time, including dialogue and acting coach Brian Peck. Interviewed in “Quiet on Set” is “Drake & Josh” star Drake Bell, who alleges he was a victim of Peck’s sexual abuse. In 2003, Peck, 43 at the time, was arrested on 11 charges  — including sodomy, lewd act upon a child 14 or 15 by a person 10 years older, and oral copulation by anesthesia or controlled substance — but the victim was not previously named.

“Quiet on Set” also mentions Jason Michael Handy, a production assistant who was arrested and charged with a lewd act with a child under 14. The mother of a former child actor who appeared on “The Amanda Show” claimed on “Quiet on Set” that Handy sent her daughter a photograph of him naked, masturbating. Another Nickelodeon staffer, animator Ezel Channel, was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for committing lewd acts on a 14-year-old boy and showing him pornography.

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