Want to Be a Leader? Focus on These Four Traits

written By : Marillyn Hewson  

I recently had the honor of speaking at the United States Air Force's Senior Leader Orientation Course -- a development program for newly promoted brigadier generals and senior civilian executives.
 
It was great to share my experience as a business leader -- however, I was even more interested in hearing from them. The U.S. Air Force produces some of the world's best leaders and I am always looking for opportunities to continue to evolve my own leadership skills.

Over my 30-year career with Lockheed Martin, I've learned that leadership skills are perishable. It takes a devotion to listening and learning to build and maintain leadership skills and effectiveness.

Last year, the Pew Research Center released the results of a public survey on leadership. One of the questions was, "Which leadership traits matter most?" Responses were compiled into seven key traits people look for in their leaders. I've found four of these traits to be particularly impactful.

In my experience, people thrive when they have leaders who are:

• Decisive: The moments when leadership matters most are in times of uncertainty and change -- times when people crave clarity. Leaders don't need to have all of the answers and no one expects them to. What is needed, however, is the ability to seek the best counsel, make firm decisions on the path forward, and ensure everyone on the team understands their role in a shared vision.
  
  Leaders must also keep their eyes on the big picture so that when the environment changes, they can adapt and help their teams change course. They have to be ready to make tough decisions and communicate them clearly to the entire team. 

• Trustworthy: Leaders build a credible reputation and earn the trust of their teams through their everyday actions -- by setting high standards, showing energy and enthusiasm, and committing to the development of their people.
  Building trust involves more than just talking about core values -- you have to livethose values by demonstrating them in every action you take. As leaders, the example we set for our employees shapes the culture of our teams. When you demonstrate honesty and integrity in your actions, your team members will be compelled to do the right thing, even when you aren't in the room.

• Compassionate: Being a compassionate leader involves more than just treating people as you would like to be treated. It's about treating people as they like to be treated. And compassion isn't just for tough times -- it's for all times. It can be as simple as having a face-to-face meeting with your team, rather than sending an email. It's about personally thanking employees for their hard work, recognizing them by name, and explaining why you're so grateful for their contributions.
  
  It's also about being responsive. I make it a priority to read and respond to all correspondence from employees. It ensures I understand what's on their minds, shows that I genuinely care, and it helps to identify emerging issues in my organization.

• Innovative: Innovative leaders have the ability to think beyond the status quo and inspire their team members to do the same. Leading a culture of innovation requires courage. You need to be able to step out of your comfort zone and take measured risk. Innovative leaders learn from their mistakes and take every opportunity to get better. They reward creativity and effort as much as success, and build an environment where everyone feels comfortable bringing their best ideas forward.

From the day I first walked down the assembly line as a brand new Lockheed Martin industrial engineer, to my current role as CEO, I've found these four traits to be absolutely essential to effective leadership.

Whether you are a general in the military, a manager of a team, or an individual contributor overseeing a project, you can show leadership and achieve success by embodying these four traits.

What other traits do you think are important for leaders to exhibit? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section.