Having the opportunity to interview and have deep discussions with CEOs and leaders all over the world through my podcast as well as my work, I have found that the best leaders have certain traits in common:

1. They have faced some difficult times that have had a profound impact on them. They have changed the way they look at the world and the work that they do. They may or may not be open about this, but it certainly influences who they are and what they do.
2. They are humble and understand that they don’t have all the answers. They lean into hiring great people around them who do have the expertise the business needs. They know the power of “I don’t know…what do you think?” as a question to gain insights.
3. They truly care about people and want to develop them. They are motivated and driven by bringing out the best in their teams. They are generous with recognition and acknowledge people for good work to reinforce behaviors and accountability.
4. They tend to lead with the heart because they have found a bigger purpose. They have a need to serve others. They use their work as a catalyst to bring change either through their products or services, or the culture they create at their company so people can thrive, or often both.
5. They get results because they inspire others through the vision and purpose. They are good communicators and reach goals and objectives. They also can balance challenges and problems by finding creative ways to reach their targets.

At the core of all these traits is a level of self-awareness. They lead by example, they “walk the talk” because they have been through the trenches. It takes a strong visionary leader to inspire and build trust so that everyone is excited and engaged. 

A leader is also someone who inspires and influences others—it doesn’t have to be someone managing lots of people. The receptionist who answers the phone at a company or greets guests as the first point of contact for customers can make a huge difference just by the attitude and how people are treated. The janitor at a university with a higher purpose of making sure the classrooms are clean for the future leaders of the world is also leading.

How do you step into the being the best leader you can be? The journey for self-awareness becomes a major part of the journey to be a great leader. Here are just five tips to increase your level of self-awareness:

1. Know your values so they guide you—these are your compass!
2. Discover your purpose—you have gifts and talents to share with the world.
3. Continually grow and develop—understand that you are continually evolving.
4. Genuinely care about others—our relationships sustains us.
5. Learn tools to manage your own emotional state—a high level of emotional intelligence will help you connect to others and keep you in peak state as well.

What is your favorite? This list could have so many more as well. At Evoloshen, we truly believe in empowering people to reach their full potential and share practical tools that can be applied both on a personal level but also throughout the company to embed them into the culture of a company. If you want to learn more, reach out to us to have a discussion on how to maximize the potential of your employees and your culture.