Discussion- How Do You Identify a Leader? A Top 10 List

I just read the following article about employees definitions of leaders from the Hiring Site, a Career Builder web publication, We Asked, You Answered; How Do You Identify A Leader. Instead of a top 10 list, they provided a top 11.

As I examined the qualities listed I noticed that they cannot be witnessed or effective without having a relationship with employees. Here is what I mean. I have observed managers who said that they are motivational but when it came to motivating they explained what everyone was going to do in a nice fancy PowerPoint with bullet points, pictures and video clips and put up an incentive package together. In the end, the organization did not meet the overall objectives it set out to. Why not? Well let look at what is missing so you can see what I mean by creating or utilizing the relationship of management.

I know that I may have short changed the situation without a lot of data, but this will be a simple example and you will see what I mean.

• There is no personal connection between the goals of the organization and the employees. Employees were told what to do but not shown the "how" behaviors.


• Mid level managers are not engaged in the daily work, strengths and motivations of employees. In most cases they don't know who their employees really are and what is important to them.


• The incentive plan was created in a "box" not based on the factors employees felt important or of any value. Therefore, when an employee has this carrot above their head they are not interested and unmotivated to "move".

With each of the qualities employees are looking for leaders to display for organizational advancement, look to the relationship factor a leader must have to make it effective. When we communicate with employees, we need to add the "what do you think this means to you" feel with every conversation, change, new procedure and process. The current workforce has been breed to "feel" and all we are promoting and pushing is "read this and do".

Successful organization have strong relationships with employees that are enhanced by the qualities in this articles Top 11.

Build a relationship with employees by:

• Have a conversation with employees about their thoughts of business goals, processes, customers and do more listening than arguing. You will build a shared vision, integrity, and passion over time.


• Take action on their suggestions or discussion items. Take action means that you will investigate their suggestions, talk with others, or even apply them to your business. Even if you don't adopt their suggesting the effort and communicating what you did will build creativity, adaptability, inspiration and communication.


• Ask employees what they believe is working and/or not working within the organization, department, or position. You will gain insight from their experience and gain their confidence as well as trust that you care about them and the job they perform everyday. They will look at this approach as courageous and motivating.

In many cases, these types of encounters will provide a deep sense of employee value that will contribute to the leadership factor. But it does not come without having a relationship with employees.