In keeping with my first article of 2015, let's continue our conversation on the significance of strong leadership and the importance of how we lead.

Over the years, I have noticed some interesting commonalities shared by top leaders I have known, worked with and read about. Developing the following skills and attributes can provide you with new opportunities in 2015. Which of the following do you share with great leaders?

Strong Communicator - Communication is a vital leadership characteristic - one of the most important keys to success. It includes great listening skills. Mike Myatt wrote this wonderful piece for Forbes:  Why Leaders Need to Shut Up and Listen .  How leaders manage to their values, empowering employees, strategic alignment, reporting results, launching projects, plus dozens of other things are achieved through clear communication.

Results & People Oriented - This is not an easy balancing act. Top performing leaders approach their action plans and relationship building with equal urgency. They know they are responsible for delivering results and they realize that great outcomes can only be achieved by building, maintaining and enhancing collaborative relationships across their organization. A smart leader finds the optimal balance between focusing on results and people.

A Visionary - Do you know your destination? Is it clear in your mind? Can you effectively communicate it? A centered individual who can inspire the team to attain organizational goals is a visionary leader. How you turn your vision into reality is by creating an expressive picture of where the organization is going and, then, engaging your team by making this a shared vision as you motivate and guide actions. With much discipline - despite possible obstacles - a strategic plan, specific goals, assigning responsibilities, keeping the team informed and applauding each small triumph along the journey, your vision can become a reality. 

Self-awareness - How well do you know yourself? What are your strengths and limitations? Powerful leaders are committed to examining their own reactions, thoughts, feelings and the impact they are having on the people around them. This is where I have had great success using multi-rater feedback to provide leaders with an objective, comprehensive look at how their behaviors are affecting the people they work with. We take that data and use it constructively for leveraging their strengths and overall development. Meditation, reflection and self-help books have their place; however, in business, the most valuable self-awareness comes from your colleagues and the people you serve. Building on this objective insight can help leaders become even more effective. Combining the data with specific skill-enhancing programs can be a next step, but make no mistake self-awareness is where it all begins.

There is no doubt that sometimes leadership can be a lonely road. To keep you on track, looking for the leader within yourself can be a worthwhile pursuit. This quote sums up the way many great leaders function: "To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart."          ~Eleanor Roosevelt

We will be visiting soon with Part 2 of Powerful Leadership. In the meantime, I welcome your comments and questions.