Ten Things Successful Leaders Do Well

Being a leader – of three people, a production shift, or a 10,000-person organization – is really hard. We work with leaders at all levels of organizations, and we have seen patterns and traits from the ones who are most successful. So, here are ten lessons from leaders, and the things they do well:

1. Saying thank you. This should occupy a disproportionate amount of your time – and should pretty much always be the first thing you say after listening to a presentation from others. Even a bad one with no substance or insight.

    

2. Saying ‘no.’ I learned this during my time in government, when I realized that the Premier’s Chief of Staff’s biggest job was to say ‘no’ to people who came with some request for something (which usually cost money or would cause downstream grief). I estimate that about 80% of that Chief of Staff’s meetings required saying ‘no’ in one way, shape, or form. But he always delivered the bad news elegantly, following the principle and spirit of Rule #1.

3. Thinking. Take one hour every morning – before turning on your computer – to just think. Ideally with white paper with blue lines and a pen or pencil. You’ll know what to think about. But this practice will help bring clarity and precision to problems and opportunities that can otherwise be fuzzy or unstructured.

4. Reading and paying attention to what’s going on. One leader with whom we work not only reads what’s happening in the news, but also remembers precise details and has a sharp point of view on domestic and world affairs. This allows him to think laterally and form opinions by integrating what he’s seeing across economics, public affairs, and what he sees within his own business.

5. Showing up. If one of your employees invites you to their holiday season potluck, do whatever you can to show up. You don’t have to stay long, but when you are a leader, just making an appearance has tremendous value and is disproportionately impactful. It is the symbolism of your attendance that matters.

6. Giving yourself permission to make one mistake a day. Don’t try to make mistakes, but realize that you will from time to time – and don’t beat yourself up over it.

7. Remembering people’s names. Years ago, my wife and I were at a restaurant for dinner, and the President of Honeywell Canada (where she had briefly worked right out of university) was at a nearby table. As he and his party were leaving, he looked over and said: “Michelle! It is so good to see you again!”. It had been the first time he had seen her in years, and she had not been with Honeywell very long, but he remembered her name and who she was. Bill Clinton got elected President, in part, based on his capacity to remember people’s names and personal details.

8. Reaching out to others who are having a health challenge or going through a difficult time. I will always remember the CEO of one of my former firm’s clients personally calling me when he learned I needed a serious surgery. If people have something hard they are going through, make the time. People always remember who came to their mother’s funeral.

9. Preparing. When you are a leader, going into a meeting is a bit like boxing: for every hour in the meeting, there needs to be lots of work before and after to be successful and productive. Don’t just read your briefing notes; understand them profoundly and have good questions to ask. Leaders who ‘wing it’ are not going to last long.

10. Rewarding people who support others ahead of their own projects. Good, well-meaning performance evaluation systems typically reward people for delivering on a priority list for which they are accountable. But when someone else’s priority needs organizational attention, ensure that the person who drops what they are doing to help the struggling team out gets extra recognition or rewards – even if their personal priority is now behind.