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The Most Important Behaviors of a Leader

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The Most Important Behaviors of a Leader

Call them virtues, attributes, or behaviors, they're about how you show up

Scott Monty
Feb 23
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The Most Important Behaviors of a Leader

www.timelesstimely.com
A Golden Thread by John Strudwick, 1885 (public domain - Wikipedia)
 

“What you are stands over you the while, and thunders so that I cannot hear what you say to the contrary.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1875

 

People pay attention to what leaders say. It’s why we established communication as the most important job of a leader in the last newsletter.

But more than your words, people will be paying attention to how you behave as a leader. They’ll look at the attributes that define you as a person, both on the job and off.

Whether you call them attributes, virtues, or behaviors, the notion is the same: you are more starkly defined by your character than your statements. Your reputation can be built based on what you say, but your actions reveal your true inner self.

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“Perhaps a man’s character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.” — Abraham Lincoln, 1842

 

In his essay “Self-Reliance” in 1841, Ralph Waldo Emerson echoed the wisdom of the Ancient Greeks: that character is destiny. And the character of leaders will eventually overshadow them and come to define what they stood for:

“Every true man is a cause, a country, and an age; requires infinite spaces and numbers and time fully to accomplish his design; and posterity seem to follow his steps as a train of clients. A man Caesar is born, and for ages after we have a Roman Empire. Christ is born, and millions of minds so grow and cleave to his genius, that he is confounded with virtue and the possible of man. An institution is the lengthened shadow of one man; as Monachism, of the Hermit Antony; the Reformation, of Luther; Quakerism, of Fox; Methodism, of Wesley; Abolition, of Clarkson. Scipio, Milton called "the height of Rome"; and all history resolves itself very easily into the biography of a few stout and earnest persons.”

 

What are some virtues that make up the character of a leader?

There are loads of them (enough for a book), but I’ll outline just six of them, to match the six aspects of good communication I shared last week.

And each section title links to further newsletters on the topic.


Emotional Intelligence

A good leader should have a high level of emotional intelligence, which means they are aware of and can manage their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others (i.e., empathy).

This can help them to build strong relationships with your team, and create a workplace that thrives on collaboration and a positive attitude.

 

Integrity

A good leader should be honest and transparent, and be willing to take responsibility for their actions and decisions.

When leaders demonstrate integrity, they become respected and trusted within the team, and create a positive and accountable work culture.

 

Honesty

One of the most difficult duties of any leader is to be honest with their people when facing a challenge. But you can’t lead by ignoring reality. Even when the reality is more insurmountable than you think.

In fact, that’s especially when it’s time to step up, trust your people, and create a path forward by committing to working together.

 

Patience

In an age when crises loom at every moment and stress is threatening to creep up on us like Jack the Ripper, patience is indeed a virtue—armor against emotionally-driven reactions, both from without and within.

Have you found yourself warming up to someone who is impatient and quick to fly off the handle? Likely not. A leader who is patient is a leader who is respected.

 

Courage

Leadership can be lonely. Decisiveness (another key leadership behavior) requires the courage of your conviction. As does authenticity, which is related to sincerity in the Wooden Pyramid below.

The courage to be your authentic self and to bear responsibility for your decisions is something that every leader needs to possess.

 

Reliability

When you show up consistently and repeatedly over time, when you meet your obligations, you’re reliable. And reliability builds trust.

Trust is the basis of all thriving relationships; lack of it is the decay that rots them away.


The legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden developed a visual that he called his Pyramid of Success.

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You can see it framed in Ted Lasso’s office on the show.

The building blocks make up the interior of the pyramid, and it’s framed by mortar on both sides — the left being “The Force of the Human Spirit” and the right being “The Strength of Human Character.”

COMPETITIVE 
GREATNESS 
Be at your best when your 
best is needed. Enjoyment of a O 
difficult challenge. 
POISE 
Just being yourself. Being at 
ease in any situation. Never 
fighting yourself. 
CONFIDENCE 
Respect without fear. May 
come from being prepared and 
keeping all things in proper 
perspective. 
CONDITION 
Mental, moral, physical. Rest, 
exercise, and diet must be 
considered. Moderation must 
be practiced. Dissipation must 
be eliminated. 
SKILL 
A knowledge of and the ability 
to properly and quickly 
execute the fundamentals. Be 
prepared and cover every little 
detail. 
TEAM SPIRIT 
A genuine consideration for 
others. An eagerness to 
sacrifice personal interests of 
glory for the welfare of all. 
SELF-CONTROL 
practice self-discipline and 
keep emotions under control. 
Good judgment and common 
sense are essential. 
ALERTNESS 
Be observing constantly. Stay 
open-minded. Be eager to 
leam and improve. 
INITIATIVE 
Cultivate the ability to make 
decisions and think alone. Do 
not be afraid of failure, but 
learn from it. 
INTENTNESS 
Set a realistic goal. 
Concentrate on its 
achievement by resisting all 
temptations and being 
determined and persistent. 
INDUSTRIOUSNESS 
There is no substitute for work. 
Worthwhile results come from 
hard work and careful 
planning. 
FRIENDSHIP 
Comes from mutual esteem, 
respect and devotion. Like 
marriage, it must not be taken 
for granted but requires a joint 
LOYALTY 
To yourself and to all those 
depending upon you. Keep 
your self-respect. 
COOPERATION 
With all levels of your co- 
workers. Listen if you want to 
be heard. Be interested in 
finding the best way, not in 
having your own way. 
ENTHUSIASM 
Brushes off upon those with 
whom you come in contact. 
You must truly enjoy what you 
are doing.

Thank you for reading Timeless & Timely.

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However you choose to look at leadership behaviors and attributes, I hope you build a character that can withstand the rigors of the world and industry in which you work.

Thanks, and I’ll see you on the internet.


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Further reading: Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks for a Better Life by John Wooden and Jay Carty

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The Most Important Behaviors of a Leader

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