Did you know that there are 4 measurable, distinct behaviors that set successful leaders apart?
Research shows that new CEOs who win the job and thrive once they get it, all show the same essential behaviors in the face of high stakes and intense demands:
- They are decisive with speed and conviction, realizing they can’t wait for perfect information and that a wrong decision is often better than no decision.
- They engage for impact, working first to deeply understand the priorities of all stakeholders before aligning them around a goal of value creation.
- They adapt proactively, keeping an eye on the long term and treating mistakes as learning opportunities.
- They steadily follow through on commitments, delivering results in a reliable fashion. A key practice here is setting realistic expectations up front.
There’s no formula that tells you how to perfectly mix these four behaviors so that they would work for every leadership position all of the time. Different situations, industries, and circumstances call for a different balance of the four.
However, being aware of intent underneath the surface is always helpful: successful leaders are acutely aware of how their moods and body language can affect the impact of their communications.
PS: Integrity and other “table stakes” qualities like work ethic are critical. They are required of a strong leader, but not what distinguishes the truly best from the rest. communication channels we have at our disposal today does not necessarily translate to high communication quality. Our challenge lies in ensuring clarity in both expression and comprehension. How do you personally ensure your communication is clear?