Attributes of a Leader

By Amanda Moore

The attributes I identify as most important for leadership are empathy, sociability, curiosity, integrity, determination, and self-motivation.

Empathy – the ability to understand and relate to others on an emotional level – is a superpower for building relationships and relationships are the foundation of society. Establishing good relationships helps to create a positive work environment where people can bring their authentic selves to work. Empathy is one of my strongest leadership traits.

A near second would be sociability. My years working as a server and manager in the restaurant industry required sociability to manage relationships across the spectrum of front-of-house, back-of-house, and the customers. As I entered my professional career, I found I was able to use my sociable skills that I’d learned in the service industry to make others comfortable and build relationships. Sociability is comprised of being outgoing, tactful, and friendly. People are more attracted to and persuaded by someone they feel connected and comfortable with.

I would argue curiosity is an important leadership trait. Curiosity’s core magic is in the ability to ask questions. Although being intelligent and knowledgeable is helpful, curiosity brings answers, possibilities, and constructive criticism. We can’t inherently have all the information we need as leaders, especially in complex multi-faceted organizations. Instead, we must ask questions to help us better understand problems. Flexing your curiosity shows others that you are willing to listen and understand. This has been one of the key leadership traits that has allowed me to explore many roles across local organizations and perform well. I believe that enthusiastic curiosity is contagious and helps breed a healthy work environment where people are looking for solutions.

Integrity – being honest and founded in values – is another important leadership trait. I have an opportunity to improve here. I think I’m fairly strong in this area and my colleagues rate me high in this category. Yet, I think this may have been in the context of me being a trustworthy, honest person. I strive to embody organizational values to build my professional integrity. By leading with organizational values, I can better support the vision of the organization. This attribute is important to me. Speaking to the mission, vision, and values of an organization isn’t enough, we must follow through with our actions and decisions as well. This is an important aspect of integrity – it is not just the words you say, but how you live by them.

Determination is another key attribute for leaders. Most of my friends, colleagues, and family would say that I am determined. In general, I fit the bill. I’m goal-oriented, I work hard to accomplish my goals. I navigate through bureaucratic hurdles easily when I root myself in the passion and purpose of the work.

The last trait that is important to leadership is self-motivation. Leaders must be self-motivated or have the capacity to drive themselves and their team forward. Having someone excited about pushing projects forward is important to help develop your team to be its best.