What characteristics are sought after in an effective leader? Simple: Integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, empathy, gratitude, communication skills, and interpersonal skills. According to Harvard Business School professor, Linda Hill, star leaders are not born with superhuman capabilities, but rather are grown by putting them in situations where there is an opportunity to learn, adapt, and grow, which is essential for developing tenacity and fortitude to motivate and guide others (Harvard Business Review, 2023). Leadership is a process of self-development, and no one can teach you how to lead; you need to be willing to learn from your experiences and face adversity. Stepping outside your comfort zone is a powerful teacher. Research shows that people tend to gravitate to others who are like themselves, which means that you must be successful as a leader and seek out people beyond your usual circles so you interact with people from different backgrounds.
So, what happens when you have a leader who is either physically or psychologically absent?
H R News (2021) stated an absentee leader can be a silent killer of an organization. According to Hogan assessments, personality is a robust predictor of job performance and a key driver of leadership effectiveness. Common behaviors of an absentee leader are lack of direction for individuals, delayed decisions, lack of performance, lack of rewards, and no attempt to motivate individuals. The risk of absenteeism is the supporters’ well-being and business outcomes. Common consequences lead to ambiguity, conflict, bullying, burnout, and increased intention to leave by individuals in the group. While individuals look to leadership for support and direction, absenteeism will cause great harm to organizations in the longer term if steps are not taken to remedy the situation.
If you aspire to be a great leader, be present. To truly engage other human beings and create meaningful connections, we need to silence our inner voices and be fully present — and being more mindful can help. Gabrielle Thompson, senior vice president at Cisco, has found that when an employee comes to her with a challenge, sometimes it needs a simple solution. But often, the problem needs to be heard. “Many situations simply need an ear, not action. Often, problems don’t need solutions — they need presence and time,” she says. As leaders, being fully present and listening with an open mind is often the most powerful way to solve issues (Hougaard & Carter, 2017, HBR).
Dr. Barb
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