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The Elements of Leadership

Leadership Skills

This is our ultimate guide to leadership skills. Zero psycho-babble, just simple and practical principles. What makes a good leader? This is everything you need to know.

Self

At - Attitude
Co - Courage
Fi - Fitness
Gr - Grit
In - Inspiration
Or - Organisation
Rs - Responsibility
Sa - Self Awareness
Si - Self Improvement

Vision

De - Developing
Ma - Manifesto
Ro - Roadmap

Communication

Cn - Confrontation
Em - Emotion
Fe - Feedback
La - Language
Li - Listening
Me - Meetings
Qu - Questioning

Culture

Ac - Action
Cr - Creativity
Dp - Developing People
Ex - Excellence
Le - Learning
Pl - Planning
Ri - Risk
Tn - Transparency
Tr - Trust

About the Elements of Leadership

What are the Elements of Leadership? Why organise leadership qualities like this?

We've arranged and grouped the elements in a very specific way. We've also included things, like fitness, that others might think are not part of leadership. Most other leadership theories for instance only concentrate on the self but what's the point if you're not creating a great culture around you?

The Elements of Leadership is not about developing our own system like many others have, we're not keen on academic theories or complicated models. Like the periodical table of chemical elements we're merely mapping what leadership already is. Trying to capture every aspect no matter how small.

Most systems of leadership concentrate on big ideas, but we all have different needs. Some are good communicators, some are visionaries, and so on.

Every leader has a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. Big idea systems are a one size fits all approach. The Elements of Leadership is about creating a laser like focus on your own unique qualities.

Self

This is the foundation of everything else. It's the only thing you have direct control over. It's the most important because this is the area that will affect everything else. If you don't get this right then everything else will be an uphill battle, almost impossible.

As a Leader you need to be as good (or better) than the people you lead. If you have a "Do as I say not as I do" attitude then you're not a leader, you're a boss.

Working on yourself is essential.

Vision

Vision can be a bit of a woolly word but it's important. There's no point in being a great leader if you've got nowhere you need to lead people.

Communication

So much has been written and said about communication. Once you have a vision you need to communicate it to other people. People need to communicate with each other to achieve that vision.

Culture

A great culture is the pinnacle of great leadership. If you've done your job right it means that people are doing great things even when you're not there to guide them.

Creating a great culture isn't absolutely necessary but it will make your job as a leader much easier, well eventually anyway, it's definitely not easy to create a great culture. Culture is how people behave when you're not there. You're in for a rough time if you need to be around leading people all the time.