Top 5 Things Employees want in a Leader

When I work with teams, one of the exercises we do is brainstorming the qualities they want in their leaders. We compile individual responses into a list and ask everyone to rank themselves on each of the qualities.

We do this for a few reasons – to demonstrate that everyone can be a leader regardless of title or position, to make sure they understand that being a leader is hard work, and to give their leaders the opportunity to grow and improve in their roles.

Here are the top 5 traits people tell me they are looking for in their leaders:

1. Clear and honest communication.

Good communication is a 2-way street, and we are accountable for our part. The essence of communication is the response you get from another person. If you don’t get the outcome you seek (from a willing recipient), the responsibility lies with you, regardless of the form of communication. Great leaders confirm, gain commitment, and solicit feedback to improve the communication process. They don’t try to sugarcoat or fudge facts.

2. Respect and recognition

While many people associate listening with communication, it is also coupled with respect. To lead your team, you must truly listen to them, with 100% of your attention and intention. Your body language and your tone of voice must convey that you care about what they are saying, and your responses must let them know that as well. Acknowledge their contributions and let them know their opinions are valued.

3. Decisiveness.

Far too often, leaders delay choosing a course of action because they believe they have to gather more information. This is often referred to as the paralysis of analysis. If you are perceived as indecisive, it severely hampers your ability to lead the team. 

4. Delegation skills and trust in the team.

Once a decision has been made, it’s time to share the workload through delegation. Great leaders don’t try to do everything themselves, realizing that dividing the work multiplies the results. This also demonstrates trust in the team and enables individual growth. 

5. Accountability – both being accountable and holding others accountable.

Leaders do what they say they will do and expect the same from others. One of my mentors used to say: “You expect what you inspect.” Great leaders follow up and follow through. Your team is well aware of what you pay attention to and what you overlook as a leader.

As an exercise, rank yourself on a scale of 1-10 on each of these five areas, and then ask yourself (or maybe ask your team) what you can do to make even a small improvement in each category.

Author: Mark McNulty, Business Coach