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What Leadership Behaviors Do You Value The Highest?

Written by: Kerri Salls

Article Overview: “Leading business success requires something even harder to gain than great ideas; it requires followers, collaborators, allies and other supporters”. This statement comes from researchers at Babson College, Wellesley, Massachusetts in the Babson Executive Education Program. They did a survey in November 2005, of what people want to see in their business leaders. The results were ranked by the importance of specific leadership behaviors people want in those who lead them. And all survey participants were themselves business leaders/executives.

What Leadership Behaviors Do You Value The Highest?

“Leading business success requires something even harder to gain than great ideas; it requires followers, collaborators, allies and other supporters”. This statement comes from researchers at Babson College, Wellesley, Massachusetts in the Babson Executive Education Program. They did a survey in November 2005, of what people want to see in their business leaders. The results were ranked by the importance of specific leadership behaviors people want in those who lead them. And all survey participants were themselves business leaders/executives.

The survey asked: What leadership behaviors do you value the highest? Please rate the following leadership behaviors on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest value. Rate as many as you find useful to identify the most important behaviors that create a response of motivation and loyalty in you and others that you work with.

Survey Results

Average rank appears at the beginning of each listing.

9.1 Communicates a clear vision.

9.1 Keeps his or her word.

8.7 Builds Teamwork.

8.7 Works hard to insure that recognition and reward goes

to proper people.

8.7 Focuses on fixing problems not blame.

8.7 Listens to the truth without retaliating.

8.7 Inspires by their examples; leads from the front.

8.7 Is consistently looking out into the future to prepare

us for what may come.

8.6 Honest, but not brutal.

8.6 Puts interests of others and the team before ego

and self- gain.

8.6 Makes everyone feel the importance of

their contribution.

8.5 Loyal to their people.

8.4 Maintains a positive, focused, calm attitude even

under great stress.

8.3 Encourages us even when we fail.

8.3 Seeks to turn failures into useful learning that fuels

future success.

8.3 Creates visibility and new opportunities for people.

8.3 Supports new ideas.

8.3 Energetically pursues resources needed for the team

to succeed.

8.3 Has a strong understanding of the business.

8.2 Is very open to suggestions.

8.1 Available to talk when really needed.

8.1 Does not play favorites.

8.1 Pushes back to higher ups when necessary.

8.1 Does not court upper management while treating

subordinates badly.

8.1 Good at influencing peers.

8.0 Very approachable.

7.8 Is not afraid of conflict about work-related issues.

7.8 Is careful in considering decisions.

7.8 Usually seeks opinions of others.7.8

7.7 Protects staff from political infighting.

7.6 Does not ask others to do things they won’t do

themselves.

7.0 Encourages direct disagreements with him/her and

among others.

Look at the top three. Almost unanimously, people want their leadership to have and share a clear vision of the company’s direction. They want honesty and integrity, not a slick sales pitch or motivational fluff. And they want leaders who work at building teams and developing teamwork.

It’s dangerous to draw conclusions from any one survey, or to make assumptions about the value systems of the people who respond. In spite of that, there are some strong indications that followers and supporters really want and expect excellence from their leadership.

Title, authority, position or even professional capability aren’t enough. As the researchers noted: “Many of the behaviors ranked highly by survey participants had nothing to do with vision or business knowledge, but rather represented judgments on how the leader treated them and others like them. Looking deeper, many of the behaviors revolve around creating an environment of shared effort, responsibility and benefits.”

All 32 attributes are skill sets leaders must have. If you were to use this list as a self-evaluation, how many of these leadership traits do you have, or do you put into practice? The more of these ideas you can incorporate into your leadership style, the more loyalty, commitment and accomplishment you will instill in your entire team. This will bring you full circle to TEAM – Together Everyone Achieves More.

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Article Tags: leadership, leadership behavior, set the vision, team leadership



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