Characteristics of a Healthy Leader
Dr. David Rafeedie
Bill was the CEO of a medium size company. With 110 employees and annual revenue of forty-five million dollars, they were performing well. It had a successful business model, a strong balance sheet, and steady profits. They were socially conscience and contributed to the city in meaningful ways. The company is appreciated in their community. Bill was president of his Rotary Club and a highly sought-after speaker in local service clubs and community events. And no wonder.
The company was not always as successful as it is now. When Bill first arrived to take the helm the company was struggling. The industry they were in was thriving, but the company was not keeping up. They had a high mid-management turnover and the prior executive leadership unhappy with the CEO’s ability. The leadership was at a loss, so the board hired Bill as their new CEO. With his leadership, the company made a dramatic turnaround.
Things had changed under Bill’s leadership. The company had grown, the executives were happy and performed well, and high-turnover was a thing of the past. They were even considered for Forbes magazine’s “Small Giants” recognition.
When Bill was asked to speak, it was always about leadership. Business owners, executives, school principals, team leaders, anyone having anything to do with leadership want to hear his leadership philosophy. Beyond the philosophy, leaders of all stripes wanted to know how Bill “did” leadership. All agreed, he had “good stuff” to share.
Bill had a basic speech which reflected his philosophy of leadership. In that speech, he gave characteristics of a healthy leader. In other speeches, he would explore those characteristics more deeply and their impact on the people and the success of the organization.
1. A healthy leader has balance in his life
I purposefully put this characteristic first. The balance between work and home is critical to emotional and mental health. Not just for the leader but the family, if the leader is married. If you are not married, commit to develop a plan for balance with your spouse, if or when you do get married. More on this critical characteristic in a future article, but suffice it to say at this point, if you lose your family or your health due to work, you will live with regrets the rest of your life. There are too many living examples of that truth.
2. A Healthy Leader is Self-aware.
A healthy leader is comfortable in her own skin. She is secure enough to be confident without being arrogant. She is also secure enough to admit her weaknesses and will bring a team around her to compensate. People who are stronger in certain areas than she is.
3. A healthy leader is aware of who others are.
A healthy leader is not only self-aware, but they know the people on their team. A good leader will practice situational leadership and communication to make sure he is connecting with his team members. He will “speak their language” to equip them for their roles better.
4. A healthy leader is focused.
They have a vision which determines the direction of the organization and their team. The direction helps to determine the methods, and the vision, direction. And methods help the leader make the right decisions. They have boundaries. There is far less stress in leading an organization if a leader is focused on the strategic direction and goals of the organization.
5. A healthy leader is decisive.
A strong leader dares to take calculated risks. With their eye to future and the bigger picture, they make the decisions necessary for the organization to accomplish its mission and achieve its vision. They are confident in their skills, and they don’t see mistakes as the end, but they view them as an opportunity to grow and to move forward.
6. A healthy leader is flexible.
Good leaders are always learning and open to change. They know how to work the systems of the organization and to shift operations to meet the changing environmental conditions within and without the organization.
7. A healthy leader brings clarity.
A strong leader understands that without clarity the possibility for chaos and confusion becomes a probability. Good communication skills are imperative for a successful leader. He seeks clear communication and he communicates clearly.
8. A healthy leader demands the best from people.
Strong leaders expect excellence from their team. They understand an organizations reputation to deliver what is expected is critical to its success and the success of the leader and their team.
9. A healthy leader helps people be the best.
A healthy leader not only expects excellence from his team members but he helps the team and its members to be excellent. A healthy leader builds a healthy team. https://davidthecoach.com/blog-1/2017/11/14/characteristics-of-a-healthy-team
10. A healthy leader has the right people around her.
Good leaders know people, and they put people in place that are skilled at what they do and are a good match for the leadership culture of the organization. Leaders know having someone in place that does not fit into the leadership culture can be the cause of a toxic culture. More on good matches and toxic cultures in the future.
11. A healthy leader practices what he preaches—he is authentic.
A strong leader does what he says is important for others to do. His organization and team not only hear what is expected but they see it lived out in the life of the leader. Anyone can say, “Do as I say.” But the words ring hollow if the leader isn’t modeling, “Do as I do.”
People follow healthy leaders. They admire and respect them. Healthy leaders stick out in a crowd of leaders. They experience success in every area of life, not by luck (luck doesn’t hurt!), but by being intentional in how they lead. They work on the characteristics that are softer than others, and they continue to strengthen the characteristics they do well. Success follows a healthy leadership. So does less stress and good emotional health.
Working with you, I can help you grow in your capacity to lead. If you are reading this on social media, check out my website www.davidthecoach.com for more information on success patterns and other issues. Click on the “contact me” button if you want to have a conversation. I would love to talk with you.