WHAT MAKES A GREAT leader? It’s a question that everyone from Albert Einstein to Barack Obama has tried to answer, and one that has been the topic of millions of books, articles and speeches.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it’s a question that has no one right answer, because there’s no one ‘right’ way to lead. “There isn’t a template for great leadership, though many people think there is,” says Dr Colm Foster, Director of Executive Education at the Irish Management Institute.

The kind of leader you need to be is you at your best, you on a good day. By bringing the best of you to situations, more of the time, you’re on the path to being an effective leader.

But Foster, like many leadership experts, agrees that the “best of you” mindset also needs to be accompanied by a certain combination of skills – and it’s by learning these skills, and unlearning things that are holding you back – that you can truly unlock your leadership potential.

Many qualities of the world’s best-known leaders – like Steve Jobs’ famous ability to identify what Apple users needed years ahead of time, or New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern’s compassionate nature – might seem impossible to mimic.

Foster disagrees, and says that most, if not all, of the elements in the leadership mix “are technical skills that you can learn and improve on over time.”

So what are these core skills, and where do you feel your ability level is right now? Read on to hear about four powerful leadership qualities, and use our slider tool to rate your feelings on each one. When you do, you’ll see how your rating matches up with everyone else’s too.

1. Strong leaders are… always listening and learning

Agility has become something of a leadership buzzword in recent years, but at its centre is a concept that makes real sense: change should be a constant part of business, not just something that happens when it’s absolutely necessary.

“Business moves fast, and you need to be able to react faster than your competition to be successful,” says Foster.

“This means constantly scanning your environment for weak signals that something needs to change. The signal could be a drop in sales, a rise in employee dissatisfaction, or maybe a certain type of advertising that isn’t working as well as it once was. By the time the signal becomes loud enough it’s too late.” 

2. Strong leaders can… show genuine interest in the lives of others

Theodore Roosevelt’s line, “people don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care,” rings true for leaders at all levels. Empathy, or being able to feel what someone else is feeling, can help to drive real connection in the workplace. It’s a learnable skill, says Foster:

Ask yourself if you’re paying sufficient attention to your colleagues, if you’re taking an interest in their lives, if you’re trying to dial in to what they are feeling. As humans, we are very visual, so even on a video call, we can pick up cues from facial expressions and body language.

If you can forge an emotional connection with others at work, they’ll be more likely to listen to you and work with you, rather than against you.

3. Strong leaders can… balance what they know with what they feel

Adults make around 35,000 decisions every single day, and for a workplace leader with a lot of responsibility, that number rises. We’re each naturally set up to make decisions differently – some of us might want to examine all the facts, while others will be driven by instinct.

Effective leaders know the importance of striking a balance between these two extremes, and making decisions based on all the resources at their disposal. “It’s about paying attention,” says Foster. “Look at what the data is telling you, look at what your gut is telling you, look at past experience, and make the call on which of them to take your steer from.”

4. Strong leaders are… open to having their minds changed

Doing things “how they’ve always been done” might seem like the lowest-hassle option in the moment, but over time, it can lead to stagnancy and even crisis. The most successful leaders seek to challenge their beliefs and assumptions, in order to chart the best path forward.

“Having a flexible mindset means accepting that you don’t have all the answers. You should always be looking to be proven wrong, rather than looking to be proven right,” says Foster. 

Flexible leaders value diversity in their organisations, and try to use others people’s perspectives to shape their own. “Healthy debate should be encouraged, not avoided,” says Foster.

Whatever your current skillset looks like, there’s always an opportunity to build on what you know and unlock future potential. As Foster puts it: “You can’t outrun your competition, but you can outlearn them.”

Great leaders leave nothing to chance. Stay ahead of the competition, drive change in your organisation and be prepared for the future with a Professional Diploma from the Irish Management Institute, awarded by UCC. Find out more about IMI’s full programme of Professional Diplomas – covering themes like Strategy and Innovation, Leadership and Organisational Behaviour – by visiting imi.ie.