Great leaders demonstrate 5 critical leader capacities or abilities. Each capacity is necessary, but it takes all 5 working together to be an excellent leader. More importantly, the 5 essential leader capacities work best with a firm foundation of the 6 Critical Leader Values.
Thomas Edison stated, “Vision without execution is hallucination.” No doubt, execution is a critical part of leadership, but there is much more. Great leaders not only focus on execution but also results, teamwork, innovation, communication, and, more importantly, character.
Leadership Meaning
The best leaders use this definition of leadership -
Leaders are committed to INFLUENCE others to get THERE – using the leader recipe.
How the leader gets THERE tells you if they are a great leader. The Leader Recipe makes the difference. Great leaders use these ingredients.
- 6 Critical Values
- 5 Essential Capacities
- 3 Daily Priorities
- 2 Remarkable Skills
- 1 Timeless Process
Each of those ingredients is important, especially the foundation of values. Most bad leaders have the 5 essential leader capacities, but they are not GREAT. Why? Because the foundation of the 6 critical values that make a leader GREAT! That foundation creates a structure to use the 5 critical leader capacities for good.
Most Critical Leader Capacity #1 Results
Our definition of leadership requires results; that is what "THERE" is. It is a destination, the desired result that the leader dedicates energy and time.
So, GR8 Results pursue the right results (THERE) and maintain great values. The most important value is truth. It’s the foundation for the other 5 values: self-governance, humility, sacrifice, freedom, and valuing people. While the values are critical, you get even more results when you apply great principles like “structure demands behavior” and the creative process.
Part of getting great results is being a strategic thinker. No organization works well without a clear purpose and strategy. The GR8 Results COMPASS helps you. The COMPASS tool helps you create priorities and goals, core values, strategy, and more.
#2 Execution
All of the 5 critical leader capacities are important, but execution is the "how" for the other capacities. Since execution is critical, GR8 Leaders focus attention on each individual. The more each person improves, the more the organizational capacity improves.
To achieve high performance for yourself and others, honesty is essential. When expectations fall short, it’s important to be truthful. Don’t allow emotional discomfort to prevent you from supporting others in their development. While sharing the truth can be challenging, failing to do so suggests you’re indifferent to others’ underperformance.
GR8 Results know how to share truth with mercy when expectations are not met. Those "moments of truth" help people perform better each time you share the truth. If done correctly, it also results in their growth.
The core of excellent performance lies in self-governance, which means doing what’s right without the need for external direction. A comprehensive definition of self-governance is "delaying immediate gratification for long-term gain."
Therefore, it’s more effective to redefine this capability as...
Excellent Execution – Maximum Self-Governance.
Great leaders demonstrate how freedom and self-governance are superior ways to lead. These two principles will transform all of your relationships!
#3 Teamwork
Great leaders help individuals leverage their strengths to achieve even greater results. Effective teamwork and collaboration rely on understanding the phases that groups and teams experience. As they progress through these phases, they will inevitably encounter common challenges.
Teams require expert coaching to help them become high performers. Of course, when people are involved, conflict happens.
So, it is better to revise this capacity to be...
True Teamwork – Real Collaboration.
#4 Innovation
Great leaders initiate change within themselves first. By being a catalyst for positive change, you amplify your influence. As a leader, you accelerate progress and avoid becoming part of the problem.
As a catalyst, you're aware of common leadership mistakes and critical flaws, and you understand that change often increases the risk of failure. However, you view failure differently—it’s simply a stepping stone on the road to success.
The fear of failure is a major barrier to change for many people. Great leaders know how to guide others through the change process. People typically fall into three categories: those who resist change, those who are uncertain, and those who embrace change early on.
It isn't wise to ignore those who resist change. And it isn't wise to spend much time trying to convince them to change. As a result, you need to learn how to handle all three groups of people better.
So, it is better to revise this capacity to be...
Healthy Innovation – Beneficial Change.
#5 Communication
Great leaders foster an open exchange of ideas. To master this, check out Course 3, where you’ll learn how to communicate effectively—clearly, concisely, and persuasively. Clear communication is key to achieving results.
You might not realize this, but excellent communication begins before you even speak or write. It starts with clear thinking! While your personality can play a role, exceptional communication is a skill that can be learned. By using structure, such as the Classic Form, the Rule of 3s and 4s, and Recipes, you can elevate your ability to communicate with clarity and impact.
Ultimately, being a great communicator means upholding strong values. You choose not to use your communication skills to manipulate others, but to inspire and influence them toward higher values and greater performance.
Therefore, it's more effective to define this ability as...
Exceptional Communication – Honest and Clear.