3 Must Have Traits for Extraordinary Leaders

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.”
John Quincy Adams

In a recent article I read on leadership, it described three qualities that make a great leader, both in the business world as well as in life. These three traits included providing a vision, inspiring trust, and offering support. The article argued that doing these three things alone will allow a leader to be successful, and I completely agree. In fact, I believe a leader who is truly able to do these three things will not only be a great leader, but will become an extraordinary leader.

Provide a Vision

A great leader has a vision for the future, and he or she is able to share this vision and solicit “buy-in” from his or her followers. This vision needs to be compelling and must inspire others to action. Providing a powerful vision that the leader truly believes in and is committed to will not only guide and direct his or her followers, but it will also supply his or her people with intrinsic satisfaction, motivation, and purpose. People want to contribute to something greater than themselves, and individuals who are able to provide a meaningful vision that produces excitment will be successful leaders as people will want to follow.

Inspire Trust

Great leaders know how to inspire trust in several ways. First, they inspire trust through actions that are consistent with their words. What the leader says and what he or she does must be the same. Second, through living with the highest level of integrity and by never taking short cuts or asking others to be dishonest or unethical in any way, the leader inspires trust. Third, through fulfilling their promises. If the leader says he or she will do something, he or she must do it to truly inspire trust and be considered trustworthy. And lastly, through modeling an example that others want to follow, a leader inspires trust. Inspiring trust is difficult in our skeptic world, but those who are able to do it effectively are on the path to becoming more than simply a great leader.

Offer Support

Every great leader must offer support to their followers. Rather than leaving someone out on an island or constantly looking over their shoulder, a good leader must offer the appropriate amount of support necessary to ensure his or her followers succeed. Finding the balance between total empowerment and micromanaging is difficult, but great leaders find a way to offer enough support for an individual to thrive. Showing the right amount of support is important, because it creates feelings of care and concern that the leader has for the individual—demonstrating the leader wants them to do well. People who learn how to offer the right amount of support to others will quickly earn the respect of their followers, and they will flourish as a leader.

I believe following these three traits will make us extraordinary leaders, because so few leaders today are able to succeed in doing all three. So, do you want to be more than just a great leader?! Practice and hone these three qualities of providing a vision, inspiring trust, and offering support, and you will be well on your way to becoming an extraordinary leader.