Five Signs You Work For A Truly Great Leader

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By 2030 we are going to have over 200,000,000 million leaders around the world. These are people who are in some capacity responsible for the lives of others at work. Traditionally this was a role that was simply designed to enforce controls while extracting as much as possible from the people who worked at the organization.

There was no discussion of engagement, health and well-being, work life balance, or flexible work programs. These are all relatively new concepts at work.

Today, most of us work for a leader, but how do we know if the leader we are working for is truly great?

Over the years I’ve worked with, advised, and interviewed over 2,000 leaders around the world, most of them CEOs. I’ve noticed a few common qualities emerge from leaders who are truly great, meaning they are able to drive performance, unlock the potential from their teams, and put people first.

These are the 5 signs you’re working for a truly great leader.

Acts Like A Coach

Most people think that coaching others just means that you help them become more successful, that’s only a part of the answer. There are 2 words you should to add to the end of that sentence “than you!” In other words, “help make other people more successful than you.” That’s what truly great coaches do. If you believe that as a leader your job is to make other people more successful than you, then the way you show up to work each day will transform. For instance, Google’s Project Oxygen, an in-depth analysis of what makes a great leader, emphasizes the importance of coaching as a critical leadership skill, leading to improved team performance and employee satisfaction.

Understands Your Weaknesses But Focuses On Your Strengths

This was a crucial leadership lesson I learned by reading about John Wooden, one of the greatest coaches in sports. He was a big believer in focusing on the strengths of his players and getting the team to work together to highlight those strengths.

It’s easy for us to get hung up on the shortcomings of others. If something doesn’t go as planned, just blame the weaknesses for failure. It’s much harder to look past the weaknesses to instead focus on the strengths that individuals possess.

This doesn’t mean simply turning a blind eye to weaknesses, it means understanding that they exist but looking beyond them to focus on what someone is truly good at. Truly great leaders understand the strengths of their employees and they do what they can to make those strengths shine.

Wants To Know Your Story

Everyone has a story of where they came from, how they got to where they are today, what they care about and value, and what they want their life to look and be like. Your story is what makes you… you. Truly great leaders want to know your story, they want to get to know you as a person not as simply someone who is filling a role on a team.

This personal connection fosters a supportive work environment where employees feel valued and understood. For example, companies like Zappos and Pixar are renowned for their culture of openness and mutual respect, where getting to know one another on a personal level is encouraged, leading to innovative and collaborative work environments.

Leads With Vulnerability

Truly great leaders understand that the two most important parts of their job are competence and connection or, Leadership and Vulnerability. Great leaders are able to acknowledge the gaps that they have but they also demonstrate what they are trying to do to close those gaps by learning, growing, and becoming better versions of themselves. They are ok talking about their challenges, mistakes, and failures but they do so through the lens of leadership.

This approach breaks down hierarchical barriers and encourages a more collaborative and supportive team dynamic.

People don’t want to work for a robot, they want to work for a human being and there is nothing more human than being able to embrace vulnerability while also demonstrating a certain level of competence.

Challenges Convention

The most impactful leaders are those who question existing practices and are not afraid to innovate. Consider something like the annual performance review which has now been around for over 100 years yet oftentimes it still feels like we are working in 1975!

In an era of rapid change, clinging to outdated methods can hinder organizational growth and adaptability. Leaders who encourage experimentation and challenge the conventional wisdom pave the way for breakthroughs and improvements.

Companies like Netflix and Amazon exemplify this mindset, continually evolving their business models and practices to stay ahead in a competitive and ever-changing landscape.

Truly great leaders understand that sometimes starting fires is more valuable and important than trying to put them out. These are the leaders who not only ask, “Why are things done this way?” but they also embrace experimentation and challenging the status quo to come up with something better.

Whether it’s getting rid of the annual review, implementing a new workplace practice, introducing a new technology, or redesigning a workplace, truly great leader believe in going against the grain!

Do you work for a truly great leader who:

Acts like a coach?
Understands your weaknesses but focuses on your strength?
Wants to know your story?
Leads with vulnerability?
Challenges convention?

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