Last Updated on March 3, 2026 by Dave Schoenbeck
What makes a good leader? For a long time, as an executive and business coach, I thought that anyone could become a leader and that it was my duty to help them reach that potential. I was wrong.
There are certain leadership qualities that must be present for an entrepreneur to lead well, and not everyone has these key traits.
What Is a Good Leader?
I have learned the hard way that in business, most people are limited by their aptitude and attitude. While many may possess some qualities of a good leader, not everyone can actually be one. We, as managers, must be overtly objective about each employee’s capabilities and ability to lead.
For example, I admit that I have always loved hard-working people who are driven to exceed expectations. I’m one of those people, so I am naturally attracted to people like me. However, while these are great leadership traits, this type of person can also be domineering, competitive, and prone to burnout.
On the other hand, a quiet introvert might not seem like a strong leader at first glance, but closer observation of their working style can reveal a solid ability to empathize and a keen awareness of employees’ needs, both of which are top leadership qualities. There’s simply no one-size-fits-all formula for what a good leader should look like.
Can someone be taught to be a leader? Contrary to popular belief, you can’t “make” leaders. However, you can create an environment that develops leaders by nurturing their leadership qualities. You can set up supportive systems and surround yourself with tough, people-first, goal-oriented direct reports.
You can personally invest in shaping the next generation. From there, good leaders must create themselves.
Recognizing Leadership Traits on Your Team
While it might be disappointing to realize that not everyone can be a leader, it can also be freeing. Some people just do not have the necessary leadership traits. If you have someone on your team who continuously forces you to rationalize their shortcomings, you can let them go.
If you have someone on your team that you’re tempted to move around until you find a position they can do while lacking leadership qualities, you don’t have to fix them. If you have someone on your team who’s not hurting you but also isn’t helping you, it’s time to move on. Not everyone can be a leader, and it’s not your responsibility to help those who won’t help themselves.
While you can and should provide the training and resources necessary to help your employees succeed, you can’t force greatness upon the mediocre. Those who are willing to go the distance can nurture leadership qualities in those with a passion for growth.
30 Leadership Traits to Cultivate
So what is a good leader? As an executive, business coach, and entrepreneur, I have noticed that the most successful leaders share certain key leadership qualities. Here are 30 characteristics of a leader to cultivate in yourself and encourage in your team if you want to become a solid, reliable manager.
1. Do the little things well.
We all want to throw the Hail Mary pass rather than be responsible for repetitive blocking and tackling. Creating glamorous, high-profile strategies is more fun than the boring details.
General George Patton once said, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” I have seen this play out hundreds of times, and the best way to drive results is to build repeatable, high-quality processes and remain unrelentingly focused on implementation.
2. Own your development.
One of the qualities of a good leader is to take charge of one’s own development. Most people starting their career believe their company and boss will fully invest in their continued education. The truth is… that’s often not the case. You must be the one to identify what you need to learn and create a plan to get there.
Malcolm Gladwell taught us about the 10,000-hour rule. Essentially, it states that it takes 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become world-class in any field. Gladwell was right: It takes lots of trial and repetition to fully develop your management style.
3. Learn how to handle conflict.
When starting your career, it can be tempting to avoid confrontations, disagreements, and difficult corrective conversations, but one of the best leadership qualities is knowing how to handle conflict effectively. Managers and leaders must be ready to engage with the right attitude and words without thinking at a moment’s notice. It would be best to practice beforehand.
4. Embrace the 5 functions of management.
As a leader, here are the basic things you’re paid to do:
- Plan
- Organize
- Staff
- Direct
- Control
Once you master these basics, your leadership attributes will determine how far you can progress.
5. Learn how your company makes money.
As you’re starting your career, financial literacy is one of the most crucial leadership traits to develop. You must understand the value proposition, the operating statement, the balance sheet, and the cash-flow statement, regardless of your job in the business.
I marvel at how many businesspeople don’t understand how their jobs create value for their companies. The productivity increase would be incredible if we could get every employee to see the bigger picture.
6. Avoid office politics.
One of the characteristics of a great leader is to navigate office politics with care, but this is also one of the most difficult to teach. If something makes you look good at others’ expense, be wary of it. Understand the game and who the politicians are, but don’t get involved, no matter how tempting it is.
7. Don’t expect what you don’t inspect.
We often assume our teammates did what we asked without checking on them, and then we’re surprised when the results aren’t what we were looking for. This doesn’t mean we should hover. Instead, add checkpoints to your calendar to ensure your team stays on task. Regular status updates help you stay on top of progress and make changes as needed.
8. Listen to the people closest to the customer.
This philosophy emerged from Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart. He firmly believed that pumping information up the food chain in a business was exceptionally difficult.
Your direct reports will insulate you from hearing about problems, so you need to get out and talk to your customers and, even more specifically, the salespeople on the front lines. You’ll be amazed at what you can learn about internal improvements and solutions.
9. Be an enlightened leader.
Many leaders starting their careers refute the power of the “softer side” of running a business. They downplay the importance of caring about culture, maintaining vision, being a good mentor, and offering courageous, optimistic encouragement. Don’t ignore these important leadership qualities. They have the potential to strengthen you and your team.
10. Watch the horizon.
The candidates who get promoted are those who can see beyond the horizon and maintain a balanced perspective between their work and the business’s work. One of the best leadership qualities that separates the good from the great is the ability to see the big picture and stay focused on what’s ahead.
11. Demonstrate integrity in all that you do, say, or profess.
Integrity is one of those leadership qualities that pays dividends when exercised consistently. Insist on complete honesty with your teammates and yourself. You have to walk the walk if you expect others to do the same.
12. Don’t underestimate the importance of influencing and leading people.
Some of the most important leadership attributes are being approachable, understated, humble, and willing to listen. John Maxwell calls this “The Law of the Buy-in.” People buy into the leader first and then the vision later.
13. Communicate in person.
Don’t rely on emails, letters, memos, and text messages. Video conference calls are much better than emails. Being able to communicate clearly is one of the most vital qualities of a leader.
Always write down good ideas and input. Without it, you won’t remember your team’s or your customers’ views and comments; writing things down helps you sort out your thoughts. Keep your notes in a journal and review them often.
14. Stay above the line.
Do you know someone who always has a negative attitude and sees the worst in every situation? Imagine an X- and Y-axis with a line through the midpoint. As leaders, we need to stay above the line with our attitudes. We need to embrace the leadership traits of ownership, accountability, and responsibility.
15. Show grit to your people.
If something is hard and you fail at it, don’t give up immediately. Tenacity is one of the key traits of a good leader. When you get tired of hearing yourself repeat the strategy, you are only just beginning to be effective.
16. Be ready to openly and honestly debrief failures.
The military does this brilliantly. They specialize in identifying the root of mistakes without assigning personal blame. They focus on fixing processes and reinforcing accountability. One of the best leadership qualities you can have is to simply be frank about your own mistakes.
17. Listen more than you talk.
When starting your career, you don’t have all the answers. Encourage your teammates to speak up and make recommendations. Insist on recommendations for improvement, not just another description of the problem.
18. Be aware of your outward actions.
Your temper, tone, and body language should be carefully controlled and should represent your aspirations. Your co-workers, and eventually your subordinates, will see you at your best and worst moments at work. Be on your best behavior.
19. Be extraordinarily passionate.
Passion is one of the crucial traits of a leader. If you’re not passionate about your role, do something else. Fast. You won’t do it well if you’re not passionate about your work. You won’t give your best effort; eventually, it will show. Seth Godin said it best: “It is easier to bring your passion to a job than to find a job to match your passion.”
20. Never take credit for your team’s successes.
Only take credit for your team’s failures and lessons. If there is any praise to be had, reflect it back onto your team. If you want your employees to respect you, make them the stars of the show while you take the bullets.
21. Find a mentor and be a mentor.
Some talented senior leaders will gladly help you learn the business and provide sincere, honest advice. You only have to ask. When it is your turn to be the mentor, returning the favor to a junior employee will likely become one of the great joys of your career.
22. Be willing to change jobs and, ultimately, companies.
Adaptability is one of the best leadership qualities for career growth. Don’t get locked into believing that one firm will nurture you over a long period of time. When you become typecast as an expert, your employer will be reluctant to allow you to move on to another role.
Conversely, if you are thought to have inadequacies, you may never have a chance to fight out of that hole. You may have to find another opportunity to grow your talents.
23. Fear the impact of preferential treatment.
Nothing will incite your people more than the whisper that you have favorites, and that they are being treated better or being paid more. Be very careful to avoid even the appearance of partiality.
24. Make yourself visible and approachable.
All members of your company should feel comfortable coming to you to talk. Being approachable is one of the attributes of a good leader. Unfortunately, when you’re the boss, your role will naturally intimidate most of your team.
I have found that the best way to balance this is to consistently ask your company what it should do better. Once you break the ice, the feedback will flow, and you will get to hear your team’s honest opinions.
25. Learn how to manage meetings.
Be intentional when you gather your people. No one likes to sit through long meetings that accomplish little. Learn how to write meaningful agendas, stick to a fixed time limit, identify a timekeeper and a note-taker, know when to table things, make a plan for the next steps, and insist on accountability.
26. Give more attention to the people who make you stop and think.
Look for the informal leaders on your team that everyone listens to. These people have influence. Challenge your belief that a leader has to look and act like you or your peers. You may find good leadership qualities where you least expect them.
Leaders come in many different varieties. Find the people in your firm who powerfully influence others and give them a forum to exert even more influence. They are tomorrow’s leaders who can help you take your company to the next level.
27. You can’t save them all.
New managers starting their careers usually tolerate poor performance for too long. Our ingrained humanistic training compels us to “fix” people. If you made a bad hire or aren’t driving better performance, it’s time to let that employee go.
28. Keep your commitments.
Only make commitments you can keep. One of the best qualities of a leader is trustworthiness. Be sure to cultivate a reputation of reliability from the very start.
29. Learn from leaders – good and evil.
It’s easy to learn from great leaders. They are natural role models, and we instinctively adopt their leadership qualities. But some of the best lessons are learned from bad leaders. Bad leaders will teach you precisely what not to do. You will always remember these valuable and painful lessons.
30. Be mindful of your legacy.
Your legacy will be the people that you shaped, impacted, and developed. It’s not how much money you made or the glamorous jobs you’ve had. You won’t remember all the goals you achieved, the applause, the awards, or the big bonus checks. Instead, you will cherish the feedback you get from people about how you changed their lives.
Becoming a great leader takes work and determination. By developing these leadership qualities in your own life, you’ll strengthen yourself professionally and personally. It’s a process that takes time, but one that’s worthwhile if you want to see true success.
Want to learn more about being an effective leader? Sign up for my weekly blog and stay informed and focused on improving your leadership traits. If you’d like to talk to a business coach about your personal development, click here to schedule a free video call with me, and let’s discuss what these leadership attributes might look like for you.
Coach Dave
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