6 Top Strengths of High-Performing Leaders
Leadership is an inside-out job, so self-awareness is a fundamental part of successful leadership and is an ongoing journey of insight and development.
What are your strengths as a leader? How often do you check in with your strengths as they change and evolve according to experience? Are you over-using or under-using your natural strengths and talents? These are all important questions I help leaders explore the answers to so they can show up authentically, using the best of who they are to achieve extraordinary performance.
So what does research in Positive Psychology tell us about the top strengths of high-performing leaders?
01 Perspective
Perspective is the wisdom leaders gain through experience. It’s the ability to make wise decisions and provide wise counsel. Perspective is also the ability to look at the bigger picture. Research suggests unlike other strengths, you can never have too much perspective.
02 Hope
High-performing leaders are hopeful and optimistic. Hope includes the ability to be future-minded and future orientated, instilling hope, will and energy in others.
03 Courage
I’m a courage expert so it’s no surprise seeing courage as a top leadership strength. High-performing leaders will proactively look for challenge, and don’t shrink from fear. They are persistent, industrious, and finish what they start. They are energetic, trustworthy and sincere.
04 Self-Regulation
High-performing leaders are very boundaried with their time. They don’t work at weekends and on holiday. They don’t send emails at midnight and they don’t expect their team members to do so either. High-performing leaders have a strong locus of control, strong discipline and are able to manage emotions
and impulses.
05 Love of Learning
High-performing leaders are committed to growth and mastery, keen to learn and grow from new experiences.
06 Love
Leading with love is a must-have in order to create long-lasting followship from your team. High-performing leaders have a strong followship because they are warm and genuine, and value close working relationships.
