Introduction In today’s dynamic work environment, the quality of leadership can make or break a team’s success and an individual’s career satisfaction. While many aspire to be great leaders, recognizing the traits of truly effective ones is the first step toward embodying them yourself. Mike Leber outlines 9 crucial signs that indicate you’re working with a great leader – and, more importantly, provides actionable steps on how you can cultivate these very same qualities. These insights move beyond theoretical concepts, offering practical wisdom for fostering trust, promoting growth, and building a high-performing team.

This blog explores: ✔ The key behaviors that define great leadership. ✔ Practical strategies for cultivating these leadership qualities in yourself. ✔ The positive impact of strong leadership on team dynamics and individual growth.

1. Protect in Public, Guide in Private.

Importance & Value: True leaders build a shield of trust while ensuring growth takes place in a safe, private space. This means defending their team publicly and offering constructive feedback in one-on-one settings. It fosters psychological safety and encourages individuals to take risks and learn from mistakes without fear of public humiliation.

How to Become One Too:

• Create a “growth journal” for each team member to track their development.
• Pause for 24 hours before discussing any missteps, allowing for a thoughtful and measured response.
• Move tough conversations to private chats, using phrases like “Let’s talk offline”.

2. “We” in Success, “I” in Failure.

Importance & Value: Great leaders bear the weight of mistakes alone but lift the team to celebrate every success. This demonstrates accountability and humility, building immense trust and encouraging a sense of shared accomplishment within the team.

How to Become One Too:

• Track your “I” versus “we” ratio in meetings to ensure you’re giving credit appropriately.
• Start a daily wins channel for your team to collectively celebrate achievements.
• Reflect on how you could have better supported your team after setbacks.

3. They Thrive on Disagreement.

Importance & Value: Great leaders embrace differing opinions because they value growth more than being right. They understand that diverse perspectives lead to better decisions and foster innovation. This creates an environment where team members feel safe to voice their thoughts.

How to Become One Too:

• Kick off meetings with “What concerns haven’t we addressed?” to invite open dialogue.
• Keep a “Challenge Journal” of who disagrees and what you learn from it.
• Pause for 3 seconds before responding to a challenge to allow for thoughtful consideration.

4. Hungry for Your Perspective.

Importance & Value: Great leaders intentionally hold back to let innovation flourish from others. They actively seek out and value the input of their team members, understanding that the best ideas can come from anywhere. This empowers team members and fosters a sense of ownership.

How to Become One Too:

• Implement a “Round Robin” rule where everyone speaks first before you do in discussions.
• Track your balance of asking questions versus giving opinions to ensure you’re truly listening.
• Write down your idea, then gather 3 others before making a decision.

5. They Fiercely Protect Your Focus.

Importance & Value: Great leaders are relentless in eliminating distractions because they understand focus drives excellence. They shield their team from unnecessary interruptions, allowing them to concentrate on high-impact work.

How to Become One Too:

• Audit your team’s calendar for a week, marking unnecessary meetings.
• Set “Do Not Disturb” blocks during deep work times to protect your own and your team’s focus.
• Start each week with “What meetings can we eliminate?”.

6. They Remember the Small Things.

Importance & Value: Their genuine care shows through their ability to recall personal details. This human touch builds strong rapport and demonstrates that leaders see their team members as individuals, not just cogs in a machine.

How to Become One Too:

• Note a personal detail after every conversation.
• Create a “Team Life Moments” calendar (without shortcuts) to keep track of important personal events.
• Review key personal goals shared by your team every week.

7. Bad News Doesn’t Wait.

Importance & Value: Great leaders choose speed and honesty over comfort when delivering tough news. They understand that delaying bad news only prolongs anxiety and erodes trust. Transparency, even with difficult information, builds respect.

How to Become One Too:

• Share difficult news within a day of receiving it.
• Practice delivering hard truths with clarity in front of a mirror.
• Address problems the moment you spot them, preventing them from escalating.

8. Your Wins Go Viral Without You.

Importance & Value: As you concentrate on doing great work, great leaders are out there being your biggest advocate behind the scenes. They actively champion their team’s successes, ensuring that individual and team contributions are recognized at higher levels.

How to Become One Too:

• Share one team win in leadership meetings.
• Create a “Success Archive” to capture specific wins and achievements.
• Tell success stories when the team isn’t around, advocating for them behind the scenes.

9. Silence Is Their Secret Weapon.

Importance & Value: Great leaders have mastered the power of silence and let it unlock the best thinking. They understand that providing space for reflection and thought leads to more innovative solutions and deeper understanding.

How to Become One Too:

• Use the “7-second rule” after asking a question to encourage deeper thinking and responses.
• Stay silent when others are reflecting, giving them space to process.
• Record meetings and notice how often silence is interrupted to identify areas for improvement.

---

Final Thought: Lead with Purpose, Grow with Intent

Working with a great leader is a privilege, but embodying these traits yourself is a journey of continuous growth and impact. These 9 signs provide a powerful roadmap for anyone aspiring to lead with integrity, foster a positive environment, and drive meaningful results. By protecting your team, owning failures, embracing healthy disagreement, valuing diverse perspectives, protecting focus, showing genuine care, communicating transparently, championing others, and mastering the art of strategic silence, you can transform your leadership presence.

Found this helpful? Share to help others and save for later! Follow Mike Leber for more content on personal growth, productivity, and process improvement.