Last Updated on December 26, 2025 by Dave Schoenbeck
What are the traits of an extraordinary leader?
We’ve all met good and bad leaders, but few have had the privilege of working alongside someone who exhibits exceptional leadership. The key is to embody the qualities of an extraordinary leader consistently, day in and day out. It’s a lofty goal, but you can do it with mindfulness and effort.
What Are the Characteristics of an Exceptional Leader ?
The book Extraordinary Golf: The Art of the Possible by Fred Shoemaker defines “extraordinary” in the following way: “Extraordinary comes from who you are, and if it is to be consistent, then who you are must be consistent… The question of who you are goes beyond your outside identity. It’s a question about what doesn’t change.”
Leadership and golf have a lot in common, as it turns out. The difference between a good leader and an extraordinary one is consistency. While an extraordinary leader has certain traits to strive for, the real key is not just emulating them but demonstrating them repeatedly daily.
The question is, what traits of an extraordinary leader should we consistently embody? Here are a few:
- You are Confident. Not to be confused with an over-inflated ego, well-placed confidence comes from trusting and standing by your decisions. It is usually the result of a proven track record in your industry.
- You are Humble. While this may seem contradictory, true confidence and humility go hand in hand. It would be best to be humble enough to admit when you’re wrong and confident sufficient to know that not being good does not impact your worth. It would help if you also gave credit where it is due for your successes.
- You are Compassionate. An extraordinary empathetic leader understands the humanity of the business’s employees and customers. This leader makes people of all levels feel seen and heard.
- You are a Communicator. Clarity is often an Achilles’ heel for an organization and an essential trait of an extraordinary leader. However, it takes a truly skilled person to overcome everyday communication challenges in a business.
- You are Imaginative. Extraordinary leaders are dreamers. They have high standards because they envision more for their employees. They see opportunities where others see obstacles.
- You are Urgent and Self Motivated. You take the initiative to drive activities that produce results and create an urgent tempo.
- You Empower Others. Leading from behind with trust and appropriate nudges when needed.
- You are Authentic. You are who you are, without games or phony manipulative strategies.
- You are Accountable. Owning the results, whether good or bad, is admirable and respected by your teammates.
I want to end with another quote from Shoemaker: “Extraordinary people live their lives backward. Instead, they stand in the future and determine how they want their lives to be. This vision of their future allows them to be in the present, and their actions spring naturally from this sense of who they are.”
To be extraordinary is rooted in your vision of the future. What kind of future would you like it to be?
Exceptional leadership develops over time through consistent practice. You can learn a lot from an experienced business coach. To build your traits of an extraordinary leader, sign up for my email list to get my weekly business articles delivered to your inbox.
Coach Dave
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