June 16, 2025
One question I’m often asked seems simple enough: “What makes a great leader?” Still, the answer – as we all know – is hard to sum up. Given all that’s expected of leaders in a complex business culture, the list of what matters grows by the day.
And yet, there are universal themes that pop up again and again. Many of them surfaced in a recent study we conducted with The Harris Poll (full report coming later this year), we found that only a third of employees felt their leaders were exceptional. However, those employees had a clear sense of what it takes for leaders to get there. In essence, exceptional leaders gave employees the feeling that they were valued and appreciated. As a result, employees felt inspired to reach their full potential.
I wrote about the research themes in my upcoming book, The Heart Work of Modern Leadership.
Beyond the book’s research is something else I find important to reflect upon – the leadership qualities that define great leaders. In this post, I’ll share some of those qualities from my personal perspective, drawing from decades of advising leaders at top companies.
I’m also excited to share the perspectives of many other leaders featured in my book, who each wrote guest columns on the leadership qualities they most admire. I’ve included highlights of their thoughts throughout this piece. Some speak directly to the eight qualities I’ve identified, others share new perspectives in a separate section highlighting their takeaways. So much wisdom in their words!
8 Top Qualities of a Great Leader
Many of you have been lucky enough to work under a great leader. Chances are, if each of us shared stories about those leaders, there would be a lot of commonalities. The tactics may vary, but the result is likely the same: Great leaders invest in the growth and development of their people. They genuinely care about their teams.
Great leaders also find ways to demonstrate how much they care. They’re typically exceptional communicators and listeners, too. They display gratitude and bring people together. At the end of the day, all of those actions and leader attributes build confidence, faith, and trust among their team.
Let’s dive into the leadership attributes of great leaders, one by one. Here’s my list of the top 8 qualities found in exceptional leaders:
1. The Leader Truly Believes in Communication
Over time, many leaders and researchers have recognized effective strategic communication as a key factor in a company’s ultimate success. When I first entered this field as a communications leader for McDonald’s more than three decades ago, that often wasn’t the case. For many, communication was seen as a “soft skill” – an add-on to the “hard” work of running a company – and was rarely recognized as one of the core qualities of a good leader, let alone a great one.
In most successful organizations now, communicators have a seat at the table, with critical input in decision-making. More leaders also see how essential it is to work on their own communication skills. Strong leaders know that communication allows them to establish an extraordinary culture.
Employees value leaders who care enough about communication to personally participate in making it happen. Senior leaders are, by definition, the most authoritative voices of their organizations, and straightforward information shared by leadership is highly valued. Leaders who demonstrate the three key leadership traits of authenticity, humanity, and heart generally create higher levels of employee engagement.
Juan-Carlos Molleda, Edwin L. Artzt Dean and Professor, University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication
“What I’ve learned is just how important constant communication is – and how much of a difference it can make in building the community’s trust.”
2. The Leader is an Exceptional Listener
The better you listen to others, the better they will listen to you. You’ll learn about your employees’ needs, concerns, and worries, which allows you to emphasize and support them. And when employees feel they are heard, acknowledged, and addressed, they’ll have a greater sense of belonging and connection. This is why it’s so important for leaders to help employees feel safe to share their perspectives openly. To ensure you’re listening well, consider these common barriers to effective listening:
- Thinking more about what you’re saying rather than what you’re hearing.
- Deciding what you’re going to say next before the person you’re talking with finishes what they’re saying.
- Putting a higher priority on what you’re saying than the person you’re talking with.
- Not working on listening. Working on your listening skills will help you meet your team’s needs. Who is struggling? Who might need some time off to work through a personal challenge?
Samuel Hon, Chief Executive Officer, First Corporate Solutions; ICF and Berkeley Certified Executive Coach
“In my first 30 days, I started conducting interviews with every employee in the company. The goal was not to dictate change but to listen and understand their perspectives, frustrations, and aspirations. What I learned from these conversations was invaluable: employees primarily wanted to feel heard and seen. … By providing a platform for employees to express themselves without judgment, I gained deep insight into the underlying cultural challenges that needed to be addressed.”
3. The Leader Demonstrates That They Care
One of the key findings from our study with The Harris Poll was that under exceptional leaders, employees consistently reported feeling valued, appreciated, and that their work mattered. In stark contrast, those working under outdated, command-and-control type leaders were far more likely to report feeling burnt out, exhausted, and overwhelmed.
Leaders who show that they care for their employees go a long way toward building employees’ confidence and trust. Here are some simple steps for demonstrating the common-sense quality of showing that you care:
- Develop personal touchpoints to stay connected and informed with your teams, whether it’s through a daily huddle, regular team meeting, or one-on-one conversation.
- Check in on how team members are doing personally by asking about their daily lives outside of work or personal interests.
- Invite employees to share what’s going well at work and what’s not going so well (or where they could use support).
- Act on feedback from employees by developing reasonable changes in response to the needs that employees express. It’s not enough to just listen; employees want to see that leaders care enough to respond with real change whenever possible.
Adrianne Sullivan-Campeau, Chief Employee and Customer Experience Officer, CareRx Corporation, Canada
“Leaders need to demonstrate authentic concern for what matters to employees, not just what matters to the bottom line. ... We continue to focus on both the customer and employee experience, believing that this relationship is intertwined. When employees can be productive and do their best work, they’re naturally able to better serve our customers.”
4. The Leader Shows Gratitude
Naturally, people appreciate being recognized for hard work, and yet leaders often don’t take the time to acknowledge their teams. It turns out employees crave gratitude even more than leaders might realize. Our research with The Harris Poll found that leaders rated as exceptional by their employees make gratitude a daily practice, not just an occasional gesture.
In our study, 54% of employees working under exceptional leaders strongly agreed that their leaders show gratitude and acknowledge hard work. Only 5% of those under outdated leaders report the same. This was the largest performance gap among all leadership differentiators that we measured.
Tina McCorkindale, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Institute for Public Relations
“A core part of my leadership approach is leading with gratitude – actively showing appreciation, acknowledging hard work, and recognizing the importance of physical and mental well-being. ... I empower my team by asking, 'What do you think we should do?' And when I make mistakes, I own them. Ultimately, leadership isn’t about power or control – it’s about trust, respect, and shared purpose. And when a team feels valued, supported, and empowered, they don’t just show up – they thrive.”
5. The Leader Brings People Together
Culture is critically important for employees today. Most employees, especially the younger generation, are turned off by toxic work cultures and crave a greater sense of belonging and meaning in their work.
In our recent study on employee burnout with The Harris Poll, we learned that widespread burnout is real, with 76% of employees and 63% of managers feeling burnt out or ambivalent in their current position.
How can managers drive a better culture? One of the best ways is to work on an improved employee culture. It’s vital for employees to feel that their managers truly care about them and that employees are clear on how their role contributes to the company’s overall success. In fact, our study found that the biggest factor in an employee thriving was a manager invested in their success.
When managers invest in well-being and care for their employees, they build a more positive culture where people feel part of something exciting and meaningful.
Soon Mee Kim, Executive Vice President, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Omnicom Communications Consultancy. Network
“I like to think that all roads lead back to empathy, the ability to understand others, see ourselves in a shared vision, and move in a collective direction. In today’s volatile environment, the only way forward is together. We need empathetic leadership that is courageous enough to get uncomfortable at times. When things seem daunting, I recommend taking even the smallest steps to develop greater empathy.”
6. The Leader Earns Trust
Research continues to show that trust is a fragile commodity, and the pandemic has further eroded levels of trust. However, employees still turn to their employers as potentially trustworthy figures. Particularly significant is the finding that 65% of respondents cite “my employer” as the most believable source of information they receive, and more than 8 in 10 respondents want CEOs to be the face of change on important public policy issues, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer.
At the same time, employees have little tolerance for untrustworthy leaders. According to PwC’s Trust in US Business Survey, 22% of employees have cited leaving a company because of trust issues. Overall, people are looking to business to lead the way.
“Leaders cannot demand accountability without first modeling it, and this requires delivering on expectations and commitments … While accountability is a large component of trust, it continues to be one of the most overlooked.”
Barbara Brooks Kimmel, Founder, Trust Across America, Trust Around the World
“Leaders cannot demand accountability without first modeling it and this requires delivering on expectations and commitments. ... While accountability is a large component of trust, it continues to be one of the most overlooked.”
7. The Leader Encourages Diverse Views and Creative Thought
Employees often feel that their jobs give them insights that will help leaders run the business more effectively, and they appreciate leaders who express that honest feedback can be provided without fear of repercussions.
Leaders can help encourage this type of feedback by publicly showing support and appreciation for an employee who raises a challenging question. A simple response such as, “Thank you for raising this tough issue because I think it’s really important,” sets the tone that the leader is open to being challenged and wants to hear different points of view.
Such an approach also fosters more creativity because employees feel safe to suggest new approaches or think outside the box. By contrast, employees who feel that they can’t safely provide honest feedback often have negative views of their leaders and the enterprise as a whole.
Svein Tore Holsether, President and CEO, Yara International
“Connecting with employees at all levels is one of the most important and enjoyable parts of my work. As a top leader, there is always the risk that you distance yourself too much or that people don’t dare to be honest with you. Yet honest exchanges of opinions are crucial, and with the union leaders especially, I can always count on them not sugarcoating it. I’ve found that we all want the same thing: to build long-term value for Yara. We have respect for each other’s points of view, and our relationship needs to be built on trust. ... I’m proud that our employees are inspired and helped us craft our mission, and I am committed to seeking and acting on their input in every way I can.”
8. The Leader Commits to Personal Growth
Leading yourself first is foundational to effective leadership. To be in the best position to lead others, leaders need to take care of themselves, too. It’s a myth that self-care is selfish. We’re often taught it’s important to put others first – our kids, our spouses, and our communities.
Yet when we do what’s good for us as well, we have the proper energy and insight to show up for others. We know from our work with leaders that while hard work is necessary for success, it should not come at the expense of addressing basic human needs for self-reflection and stress reduction.
Tom W. Watson, Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Forvis Mazars
“If you want to be a great leader for the long term, you must find some time to separate your personal self from the leadership self. Whether it’s quiet time to reflect, meditation, exercise, or prayer, taking some time to “be off” will make you much more effective when you must “be on” later. … Another benefit of embracing your personal well-being is that it can set a great example for your team. You cannot expect those you lead to find time to reset or decompress if you don’t do it yourself.”
What Other Leaders Say About the Leadership Qualities That Matter
My upcoming book includes insightful guest columns from leaders across a wide range of industries, each reflecting on the qualities they believe make for exceptional leaders.
Here are some more highlights on what they shared:
On The Power of Humor and Gratitude
Steve Cody, Chief Executive Officer, Peppercomm
“In many ways, humor is the entry point to breaking down walls, allowing leaders to demonstrate real empathy. And empathetic leadership is a game changer for a stronger employee culture. … That leads me to gratitude. Knowing how to loosen up and laugh has also helped me develop better relationships with my team. I do my best to overcommunicate how grateful I am to our employees at every opportunity. When employees feel seen and recognized for how hard they're working and the many achievements they've scored, it pays huge dividends. In my honest opinion, it leads to a happier and healthier workplace.”
On Building Community
Bob Pearson, Author, Advisor, Professor, Investor
“Making a difference in our world is never about ourselves. It is always about who benefits from our work.”
On Protecting Employee Well-Being
Brian Grace, Managing Partner, High Altitude Capital and former CCO, Nationwide
“My first PR job gave me an even deeper appreciation for how senior leaders can influence workplace well-being. Our CFO was a regular at the 6 a.m. boot camp classes, and other senior leaders – and those of us who aspired to be one – followed suit. But it wasn’t just the boot camp. He also organized company teams for everything from 5Ks to 200-mile mountain relays. I joined them all. It was in that job that I also began experimenting with walking meetings. I’d read that walking together not only releases endorphins and improves well-being but also fosters cooperation – people moving side by side in the same direction are more aligned in achieving shared goals.”
On Genuine Listening
Samantha Stark, Founder & Chief Strategist, Phyusion
“My key learning [after stepping into a new leadership role] was this: resist the urge to validate your existing opinions. That’s your ego talking. Stay open and flexible until you truly understand the situation from the ground up. The practical insights you gain from listening – really listening – to your team will lead to more sustainable solutions than any pre-conceived plan.”
On Supporting An Inclusive Culture
Pamela Meyer, Leadership Agility Expert and Masters Ski Racer
“The good news is that each of us has the power to positively impact organizational culture by leading with radical hospitality and co-creating an environment where everyone can thrive.”
On Encouraging Employees to Speak Up
Marta Ronquillo Newhart, 3XC CMO, Board Director, and Real Estate Investor
“Creating an environment for open discussion is not just possible but essential. By taking small, deliberate steps towards greater openness, leaders can bring out their organization's full potential. A workplace where employees are valued, heard, and not redirected.”
On Communicating with Context
Chuck Wallington, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Cone Health
“In today’s dynamic business environment, a hallmark of effective leadership is the ability to communicate with context. Communicating with context answers questions that could stand in the way of two or more people working together to achieve shared goals.”
On Supporting Employee Growth
Ken Jacobs, PCC, CPC, ELI-MP, Principal, Jacobs Consulting & Executive Coaching
Ken Jacobs, a communications consultant, worked for a leader who gave him endless opportunities to grow and develop – and even to make mistakes. She was empathetic when he made a rookie mistake early in his career and called a client prospect directly about a deadline extension rather than consult with his boss first. He’ll never forget her kind reaction. “I wonder what other options you might have had,” she told him that day, and the two worked on a solution together.
On Setting Achievable Goals
Cy Wakeman, President & Founder of Reality-Based Leadership
“We often want to dream and scheme and think big, but sometimes, constructing a smaller, compact container for what can actually be done now can get us unstuck.”
How The Grossman Group Can Help
We partner with senior leaders to turn leadership communication into a competitive advantage. Whether navigating change, shaping culture, or aligning teams around strategy, we help leaders show up with greater clarity, empathy, and impact. Our proven approach combines research, strategy, and executive coaching to strengthen leadership effectiveness and drive measurable business results.
If you’re facing a leadership challenge, managing transformation, or simply want to elevate how you lead and communicate, let’s talk. We’d love to explore how we can support you and your team in making a bigger impact.
Closing Thoughts
The qualities that leaders need to be successful now are far different from what many senior leaders experienced themselves. Sometimes, that can cause leaders to fall back on old norms, top-down approaches with little input or engagement from employees.
Yet today, we know so much more about what it takes to build an exceptional culture. The leadership qualities highlighted here will make a difference for your organization. I hope they inspire leaders to adopt new approaches to engaging the workforce. After all, the most important asset your company has is always your people.
What more would you add to the list of leadership qualities that make a key difference today?
—David Grossman
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