Traits of a Good Leader

Compiled by Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group:

· Honesty – Display sincerity, integrity, and candor in all

your actions.  Deceptive behavior will not inspire trust.

· Competent – Your actions should be based on reason

and moral principles.  Do not make decisions based on

     childlike emotional desires or feelings.

· Forward-Looking – Set goals and have a vision of the

future.  The vision must be owned throughout the

     organization.  Effective leaders envision what they want

     and how to get it.  They habitually pick priorities stemming

     from their basic values.

· Inspiring – Display confidence in all that you do.  By

showing endurance in mental, physical, and spiritual

     stamina, you will inspire others to reach for new heights. 

     Take charge when necessary.

· Intelligent – Read, study, and seek challenging

assignments.

· Fair-minded – Show fair treatment to all people. 

Prejudice is the enemy of justice.  Display empathy by

     being sensitive to the feelings, values, interests, and well-

     being of others.

· Broad-minded – Seek out diversity.

· Courageous – Have the perseverance to accomplish a

goal, regardless of the seemingly insurmountable

obstacles.  Display a confident calmness when under

stress.

· Straightforward – Use sound judgment to make good

decisions at the right time.

· Imaginative – Make timely and appropriate changes in

your thinking, plans, and methods.  Show creativity by

     thinking of new and better goals, ideas, and solutions to

     problems.  Be innovative!

All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common:  it was the willingness to confront, unequivocally, the major anxiety of their people in their time.  This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership

- John Kenneth Galbraith, U.S. Economist, “The Age of Uncertainty”