Leadership is a quality that society values. It can be seen early on in a person’s life. It benefits those that excel at it, in school, in sports, with friends, and in careers. Many believe that people are born leaders, that it comes naturally.

I believe that leadership is a quality that a minority of people are born with. I also believe that one’s environment will hone this quality for some, and not for others. I believe that if you aren’t born with it, you can learn much of it, but many of the best leaders start with a natural talent.

What I don’t believe is that leadership qualities alone will make you successful as a business leader. Leadership personality traits are not the same as being an effective leader of a company. Being a successful leader in a business means taking your personality traits and using them in specific ways to drive results. Results don’t just happen because someone is a natural leader. Results happen when leaders take action.

Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, so-to-speak. You don’t need a title to be a leader, but some titles require you to be a leader. You can be a great Business Analyst, a great Designer, a great Sales Executive, without being a leader, but you probably won’t be a great Chief Marketing Officer, or a great Vice President of Product, if you aren’t a great leader. It’s a choice, until it isn’t. If you weren’t born with it, you better start figuring it out.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what a great business leader is, and what a great business leader does. I say it that way intentionally, is and does. A definition and actions with outcomes. Below is what I’ve come up with. I am sure this is a far from a dictionary definition, probably because my take is less a reflection of business leadership itself, and more about what I personally strive to be as a business leader.

What a great business leader is:

Someone that inspires others, to act, to be great, and to grow
Someone that coaches and mentors their direct reports, bringing out the best in them
Someone that takes responsibility, seeking it out and rising up to it
Someone that puts the organization on their shoulders, not as a burden, but to carry others and raise them above the fray
Someone with vision for the organization and a course charted to reach it

The above is great, and impressive, but how do great leaders turn those qualities into action and results?

They see the bigger picture

Great, effective business leaders share a similarity with chess players: they see two, three, four moves ahead. They don’t stop at the obvious, they see what others don’t and can identify what really matters. With this vision, they can speak and act in a way that inspires others.

They have a positive outlook

Great, effective business leaders put energy into positives, rather than negatives. They don’t ignore challenges or concerns, but seek balance in their focus and how they communicate with others. They smile, show joy, recognize success, and lift-up the spirits of others. With this quality, they attract others to them and go into every opportunity or challenge leading people that believe in success is not only possible, but likely.

They say the right thing, at the right time

Great, effective business leaders know that listening is more powerful than speaking, and how to use their words for the greatest impact. They often don’t speak first, collecting the information they need to speak with authority later. What they do speak, their message is well thought out and organized. They have a way of knowing exactly what others need to hear, at any given time.

They are calm under pressure

Great, effective business leaders are the rock of an organization when pressure builds. They still worry, but they know that others will observe and mirror their behavior, so they remain clam in all they do, whether that be day-to-day work or a crisis. They don’t overreact or act too quickly, but instead they take a measured approach to challenges that is seen by others as well planned, organized, and thoughtful. They’ll never appear to be overworked or exhausted by the pressures of work.

They act and speak with confidence

Great, effective business leaders believe in themselves, their experience, and their ability to get the job done. When they speak, they believe it. When they act, they know it’s the right thing to do. They are confident, but not cocky. They may have doubts, but those doubts don’t hold them back, and instead drive them towards continuously growing and learning. This confidence inspires others to do the same.

They know the details that matter

Great, effective business leaders stay abreast of the details they need to know. They understand that they can’t lead while in the dark, and they seek to consume knowledge. They are properly informed on what their teams are doing, what their successes are, and what their challenges may be. They don’t micromanage and aren’t know-it-alls, but they recognize that information is the most important input they need to deliver the outputs their organization needs. Most importantly, they use this information to properly coach, mentor, and manage their team.

They show gratitude

A great, effective business leader recognizes the work of others and shows appreciation. They understand organization dynamics and that often teams accomplish greatness, rarely do individuals. They recognize the human side of work and understand the power of gratitude. They deliver that gratitude with heartfelt meaning and genuine appreciation. They deliver gratitude in big and small ways, not requiring a stage to deliver it on.

As I look back on what I just wrote, I see a common theme: Communication. Leaders and effective executives are great communicators. They communicate genuinely, thoughtfully, intentionally, and non-verbally.

I’m going to keep studying leadership and honing my abilities. I recently read a great book on leadership, What You Do Is Who You Are, and I may revisit my favorite book on communication, Crucial Conversations.