Every business needs strong leadership. Being a leader means inspiring others to do their best. But how do you become a great leader? 

Did you know that 70% of managers have no training? To keep employees engaged at work, companies need to have good management. And to have good management, managers need training. 

In this article, we’ll discuss why teams need leadership, qualities often seen in great leaders, and examples of companies with strong leadership. 

Teams Need Leadership

Recently, work hierarchies have flattened. We’ve been seeing a trend of relaxed leaders. But is this really what employees need? 

While many employees are initially excited to work in flat hierarchies, they can end up confused and disengaged without strong leadership. Experts agree that strict work hierarchies are unnecessary, but with that being said some structure is necessary to keep teams running smoothly. 

When done right, hierarchy increases collaboration and corporate success. Without clear roles and hierarchy of power, team members end up getting into more personal conflicts. Although conflicts about ideas and decisions increase innovation, personal conflicts do nothing to help businesses. Good leaders know when to step in and when to let the conflict play out. 

Additionally, having a clear hierarchy eliminates many of these personal scabbles since employees’ responsibilities and superiors are clearly outlined. Having a hierarchy provides clear lines of authority, thus employers know who they report to, resulting in less pushback. 

Teams need leaders to clearly define/assign roles and responsibilities, mediate conflicts, and increase organizational success.

Qualities Of A Great Leader

Now that you know why teams need leadership, we’ll get into qualities that are seen in great leaders.

The following are characteristics of great leaders.

• Confidence. Great leaders are confident in themselves, their decisions, and their team.

• Curiosity. Great leaders have a natural curiosity. They are continuously asking questions and learning new things. By being curious, leaders discover new opportunities and make more informed decisions. 

• Resilience. Great leaders are resilient. They persevere through challenges, overcome failures, and keep working towards their goals. Even when facing adversity, resilient leaders stay true to their original goals.

• Empathy. Great leaders are empathetic. They get to know their reports personally to help them through their challenges and celebrate their wins. By connecting with others with empathy, leaders engage their employees. This leads to trust, retention, and supportive teamwork. 

• Collaboration. Great leaders collaborate. They are great at drawing on others’ strengths as well as their own to create synergy. They can connect diverse employees to a common goal to perform at a high level.

• Flexibility. Great leaders are flexible. They adapt to change and can make decisions on the fly when necessary. They can also adjust their leadership style based on the needs of the team and situation. 

• Growth mindset. Great leaders have a growth mindset. They are continuously improving themselves to become better leaders and overcome challenges.

• Transparency. Great leaders are transparent. They don’t hide things from their reports. Instead, they are transparent with them and work with them through every situation.

• Trustworthiness. Great leaders are trustworthy. They build strong relationships with their reports so they are trusted and their reports are valued.
• Gratitude. Great leaders are grateful. They show gratitude to their superiors for their position as well as their reports for the work that they do. Employees who feel valued do a better job. A simple “thank you” goes a long way in the corporate environment.

These traits are common among the most effective leaders. 

Companies With Strong Leaders

Let’s get into some examples of companies with strong leadership.

• Intel. Led by CEO Patrick Gelsinger, Intel’s leadership is known for being hardworking, intentional, and deliberate in their decision-making. They show their employees that they are valued, leading to better employee engagement and productivity.

• GoodRX. GoodRX has great leadership. Their leadership team provides autonomy, tools, and support to its employees. Their support and leadership allow employees to get things done fast and effectively. To add to that, their leadership style is aligned with the company’s published values, purpose, and direction.

• Dell. Dell CEO, Michael Dell, adapts to change well and cares about his employees. Dell employees feel genuinely part of the team, rather than just a number.

• Cisco. Cisco, led by CEO Chuck Robbins, has open communication between leadership and employees. Their open-door policy allows for open communication. They also support employee feedback and contributions across the entire organization. 

• LinkedIn. LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky leads by example. He cares about the well-being of each employee, making his subordinates more caring and engaged.

• Chewy. Chewy’s employees enjoy that its leadership team is open-minded and adaptable. They are open to new ideas and can adapt to uncertain and changing environments. 

• ADP. Led by CEO Carlos Rodriguez, the ADP leadership team leads with integrity. They are honest and trustworthy all while putting their associates’ well-being at the forefront of every decision.

• Adobe. Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen listens to his employees, encourages changes, and leans into out-of-the-box thinking. His employees don’t feel like they are brushed off, but that they are actually heard.

• Chegg. Cheggs leadership team cares about its employees and creates a supportive work environment. 

• HubSpot. HubSpot’s leadership is characterized by transparent communication and follow-through. They do what they say and evoke trust from their employees.

As we can see, these successful companies all have strong leaders. It’s interesting to see the traits that are common across these organizations. For example, many of them focus on employee wellness, a supportive culture, and open communication. To become a great leader, model your leadership after these examples.

Let Mythos Group Help You Unlock Your Inner Leader

Mythos Group is skilled at consulting leaders. By learning what you do well and where you can improve, we can educate you on what changes you can make to improve your leadership. Great leaders nurture their teams and lead them to success. 

You may already be an effective leader, but there is always room for improvement. Great leaders are continuously improving their leadership skills.

Let us help you unlock your inner leader with our guidance. Contact Mythos Group to learn more about how to become a great leader.