5 Factors that Separate the Best Leaders

If you’re going to be a manager, you might as well be the best at it.

But what separates the best leaders from the rest of the pack? About five critical leadership qualities, according to research from Perceptyx.

Yet many managers don’t have all of these qualities. Some managers haven’t picked up any of them yet. Proof: Almost 25% of employees say they work for the worst manager ever — a number that has remained unchanged for a few years.

Some of Us Work for the Best Leaders!

Now, for the bright side: About 50% of employees say they work for the best boss.

The problem is, nearly 60% of managers believe they’re very good or excellent at the job. So there are some leaders who think they’re all that and a bag a chips. Meanwhile, their employees think they’re “meh.”

“Managers don’t set out to be someone’s ‘worst boss ever,'” says the researcher Emily Killham, Senior Director and Head of the Center for Workforce Transformation at Perceptyx. “They want to do a good job, but they are too often set up to fail. It’s in the best interest of organizations to create a situation where managers have the environment and tools they need to do that good job.”

So it’s more important than ever to know what separates the best leaders from the not-so-good — and then try to embrace and hone the characteristics they share.

Beyond that, you want to avoid the behaviors and traits the lesser-liked leaders exhibit. We have the research on what works and what doesn’t here.

The Making of the Best Leaders

According to the research, “among the behaviors that set the best managers apart, five stood out as particularly important:”

• Inspiring others. The ability to inspire and motivate employees is a hallmark of great leadership. Tip: Create a sense of purpose by helping employees recognize how their work positively affects colleagues, customers and hard results.
• Developing others. The best leaders help team members learn more, find growth opportunities and develop their careers. Tip: Get a regular roundup of online courses, web tutorials and training from your vendors that’s relevant to employees’ jobs and aspirations. Pass those along with notes of confidence in their abilities to do greater things.
• Planning effectively. The best managers plan and organize. There’s no way around it. Things don’t usually get done well if a person or department is in a constant state of chaos. Tip: Work with employees to set clear goals on what gets done by whom, when and how. Then, ensure the team understands their roles and responsibilities. Do all you can to quiet the noise so they have space to focus.
• Communicating a clear vision. Successful managers share a clear and compelling vision for the future to align the team’s efforts with the organization’s goals and provides a sense of direction and purpose. Tip: When you plan effectively, you usually cover the short-term. When you communicate the vision — and remind employees of it regularly — you help them connect their short-term work to long-term goals.
• Managing change effectively. Great managers get employees through change smoothly by communicating openly and helping them stay focused during transitions. Tip: Communicate everything you know throughout changes so you can all prioritize better to get through it successfully.

Bad Leadership Traits to Avoid

Now you know what sets apart the best leaders from the rest, you want to avoid the behaviors or characteristics of the leaders who fall into that “worst boss ever” category.

Researchers found they lack:

• Integrity. Ineffective managers often damage trust and morale within the team. Instead, you want to demonstrate integrity by upholding high ethics to maintain a healthy work environment.
• Effective communication skills. Poor communication leads to misunderstandings, errors and misdirection. Instead, you want to lean into more clear and consistent communication tactics — such as putting important information in more than one communication channel.
• Expertise. Some managers don’t have the necessary knowledge or skills to lead their teams effectively. It’s important for “green” managers to focus on their weaknesses and improve.
• Action. Inaction or indecisiveness stalls progress and frustrates employees. Instead, you want to take decisive actions to move projects and goals forward.
• Customer focus. While it’s important for managers to focus on employees, they need to think about customers, too. Ineffective leaders don’t do that, which can lead teams to question the right next steps, or worse, put employees in awkward positions while working directly with customers. Instead, keep employees up to date on customer interactions, needs and feedback.