We all know, or think we do, what the role of a leader is but do we have the same level of insight when it comes to looking at leadership from the outside? Do we in fact know what our own employees or our peers want from a leader?
Well we may do; particularly if we have carried out the Leadership Practices Inventory™ (LPI), a 360° confidential diagnostic which provides those assessed with the foundation of their personal leadership development agendas. Part of The Leadership Challenge™, the LPI originates from over 25 years of research into leadership practices.
If we are looking at a more general view of leadership then some research released by Universum may be of interest. Surveying over 2,000 executives including existing CEOs, HR managers, employer branding managers and marketing managers, Universum asked these individuals what they would be looking for in a future leader. Top of the list came empowerment at 41%, followed by being a role model (29%) and being goal oriented (26%).
Embracing opportunities to coach and mentor came next at 19%. In fact, looking through the data it is clear that whilst future leaders are expected to make strategic decisions and set clear goals, there is also a strong emphasis on helping their team to grow.
