5 Qualities of an Exceptional Leader

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This is an opinion editorial.

Leadership. Management. Facilitator. Executive. Corporate talk. Corporate talk. Blah. Blah. Blah. 

The word sounds sexy in resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and portfolios. However, let’s be realistic here: Not everyone is a natural-born leader, nor can they be effective at leadership if it’s not taught properly. Anyone can start a business, get promoted to a senior position or become a project manager. 

I’ve worked with leaders in part-time positions where they love what they do by inspiring others and always bend backward to get the job done. However, I’ve also worked with leaders in full-time positions who create double standards, hostile work environments and are often non-confrontational to delegating work conflicts. 

Every leader is different, but I find that the most effective leaders share the same qualities below:

1. Fairness and Equitable 

   There’s a huge difference between being fair and being equitable. If you’re in public policy or business school, they will drill this into your head. Fairness is ensuring everyone has the same amount of respectful treatment or due process, regardless of background. Equity is providing resources and guidance to those who are underprivileged and underrepresented. 

   Everyone deserves to be treated fairly in the workplace. But, I feel like this is what many leaders do not have a grasp on: being equitable in the workplace. Equity mainly focuses on an individual’s needs and how to tackle those needs to succeed. An example of this would be accommodating those who have intellectual and developmental disabilities, providing inexperienced employees with more training and skillsets while on the job or literally – being hired based on merit and YOUR unique qualifications. 

   Equity is not favoritism. Equity is not affirmative action or ‘reverse discrimination’ in a hiring process. Fairness and equity both fight for justice for those who need it the most.

2. Strong Boundaries

   I’ve reiterated this in my previous editorials. I believe you can be friendly with your colleagues and your supervisors, but do not become close friends with them. I believe employees have their deliverables and projects to do and should never interfere with their colleagues’ work. If your subordinate asks for help, help them. But, if they did not ask for assistance and assure you they got what they needed, the only thing an exceptional leader can do is be a coach and cheerleader. Exceptional leaders are not always laissez-faire, but they are never authoritarian or unethical in what they do. They know their place, but they know when to create that line of communication so that toes will not be stepped.

3. Proactive, Not Reactive 

   It is easy to panic and react with emotions to others during times of crisis. It’s natural for people to negatively react to unprecedented events and that’s OK. I’m a believer in never suppressing your emotions and not processing them.  

   However, the make-or-break outcome of a situation is how exceptional leaders proactively solve a problem. Whatever the problem is, I learned that leaders do not react by attacking their employees or firing them on the spot. It’s not effective, and it’s also not even a form of solution for both parties involved.

   Instead, leaders find a solution for the time being and then discuss long-term solutions and strategies to prevent that certain problem. This is being proactive by being graceful and taking action rather than cutting corners and burning bridges.

4. Passionate 

   As I said, anyone can have a senior role. Anyone. But, an exceptional leader has to truly love what they do because it serves a purpose and is emotionally fulfilling. There’s nothing like waking up in the morning groggy, but motivated to get things done. Work doesn’t feel like work. Work feels like a mission. Exceptional leaders know that problems do not get solved overnight – not even a week. Guess what? That’s OK! Because these leaders are being proactive, not reactive.

   I recently spoke to former housing official and Threaded: A Men’s Fashion Week founder, Darrian Hewlett, for an upcoming article about the fashion week that’s happening this weekend. We also touched base on exceptional leadership quality and he also said that hiring those who are as passionate as you are is just as important. 

   “No one's stepping on one's toes because they own their lane,” he emphasized. “That's a beautiful thing. They know I'm busy, so when I ask for something, they get it done because they know what this vision is.”

5. Inspiring Others

   Exceptional leaders know their craft but are insanely humble. You know the popular saying, “Be a leader, not a follower,” that was probably said since elementary school?

   Well, it applies to this. Leaders tell stories of hardships and prosperity to inspire others. They genuinely want others to succeed as they have, not hinder others’ growth or antagonize others’ capabilities. Regardless of whether you’re in or not in a leadership position, you are the leader in your life. You live to inspire others to do good in the world. It can be your classmates, friendships, relationships or family. That’s the one of the basis of exceptional leadership.

Do I consider myself as an ‘exceptional’ leader? Hell no.

But, do I consider myself as a person who is willing to learn, know my capabilities, show kindness and mentor/guide those who are uncertain of a task? Yes.

Therefore, I don’t put ‘leadership’ on my resume for no reason and you shouldn’t either because the word may seem attractive to employers, but it’s the experience and growth you learned from that leadership ability that counts the most.

– Paula J.P.