7 Significant Leadership Traits

We are launching a CEO Peer Group next month. In preparation, we participated in another group’s meeting and had a fabulous discussion about the role of a leader and essential leadership traits.

Lee Benson, CEO of Execute to Win, contributed this fabulous insight about the primary role of the CEO:

To continually increase the value your organization creates.

That’s so simple, so true and so challenging!

In our conversation about essential leadership traits, here was Lee’s list:

1. Energy:  Positive energy in good times and especially bad times
2. Energize:  Create an energizing environment for you team that releases positive, productive energy
3. Edge:  Have the courage to make the tough calls (people and critical decisions) 
4. Execute:  Ability to achieve the desired results
5. Passion:  Passion for the business, our industry and for being a leader
6. Resiliency:  Ability to bounce back quickly from setbacks
7. Trust:  Do what you say you will and be consistent with all team members and decisions

We’ve been reading a lot of research about the changing state of employment. While some refer to the great resignation, others talk about the great reset. Whatever you call it, we believe it all starts with leadership.

Leadership sets the tone for the organization. When leaders built from these traits, they create a culture that continually increases the value the organization creates.