Be the Highway: Why Leadership Is Measured by the Success of Others
The following contribution comes from Medium and is authored by Gil Bashe, who describes himself as: Connecting the dots to discover and cultivate cognitive connections that drive life-saving transformations. Editor-in-Chief of Medika Life and BeingWell.
Creating Open Roads: Leadership That Fosters Trust and Community
Earlier in our careers, most of us are rewarded for personal excellence. We advance because we consistently deliver, independently and accurately. We earn the trust of clients and colleagues because we are effective. It’s natural to assume that leadership is simply the next level of that same formula: more control, more decisions, more oversight, and more of the same.
But as we move up the ladder, our impact extends far beyond performance metrics. Leaders don’t just shape outcomes; they shape experiences. In today’s workplace, where mental health and well-being are inseparable from professional growth, leadership is more than just a role. It is our responsibility to create safe and stimulating environments where everyone can thrive.
But it’s not about repeating the same actions on a larger scale; it’s about positively influencing others. It’s about helping others shine, grow, and succeed. This shift isn’t easy, especially for those who have thrived by being the best at their jobs. However, leadership requires a transformation of mindset: from star player to director, from providing answers to paving the way.
In the service sector, where our success depends on our teams and the trust we build with them, this shift is even more critical. We are dedicated to building community: internally, among our colleagues, and externally, with our clients.
If our leadership style becomes an obstacle, we risk creating traffic jams where there should be clear lanes.
I’ve come to the conclusion that leaders are either highways or tollbooths. We either accelerate the careers of those around us or we slow them down.
But all too often, leaders fall into a mutual trap: they want to succeed, but they cling to the habits that once led them to success individually. The result? Frustration for everyone. Colleagues feel excluded, the leader feels overwhelmed, and the organization stagnates. Here are some patterns I’ve seen—and experienced:
- The «approval» trap: Managers insist on reviewing or editing everything before it goes live. The instinct stems from a desire to protect quality, but it stifles initiative, delays delivery, and subtly sends the message: «I don’t trust your judgment.»
- The «comfort of cloning» trap: Leaders build teams that look, think, and work just like them. It’s comfortable, but dangerous. Innovation seeps out. Diverse perspectives are underutilized. And team members feel they have to work in your style to succeed, rather than developing their own.
- The silence trap: When ideas are challenged, senior team members choose silence instead of defending their positions. When more experienced people question their approach, they cave in. Leaders must be attentive to this dynamic, recognize it, and ask more questions instead of quickly dismissing it.
- The overprotective trap: We should always be kind, but overprotecting is different. Sometimes, in trying to shield people from pressure or risk, we intervene too quickly or shield them from challenges. Even well-intentioned actions, such as listening attentively to others’ problems—without pushing for a solution—can inadvertently limit their visibility and growth. Leadership is about equipping people to speak up confidently and feel secure when managing uncomfortable conversations with colleagues, supervisors, and clients.
These aren’t signs of bad leadership. They’re signs of unexamined habits. In fact, they’re more common than we like to admit.
At its best, leadership fosters psychological safety:
the feeling that people can express themselves, take risks, and grow without fear of shame or punishment. This safety is not a passive quality; it is strategic. When people feel safe, they innovate. When they feel valued and supported, they stay. When they are respected, they advance.
Books like *The Flight of the Buffalo* remind us that when leaders act as the sole decision-makers, they limit the potential of their teams. A flock of geese takes turns leading: they share strength and responsibility, and in doing so, they conserve energy and improve communication among themselves. This metaphor resonated with me. In our world, no single person drives business forward. We go further together when leadership is circulating, not centralized.
- In *The Wisdom of Teams*, Jon Katzenbach highlights a key truth: the best solution often comes from the person closest to the idea, not the one at the top of the organizational chart. This is especially true in a dynamic, data-driven business environment. True leaders make room for other voices. They don’t compete with their team; they complement it.
- In «From Good to Great,» Jim Collins describes Level 5 leaders as those with ambition for the mission, not for themselves. They are relentless in their pursuit of results, yet humble in their execution. Their success isn’t measured by applause, but by the legacy they leave behind: resilient systems, confident people, and a sustainable culture.
- The business systems guru Peter Drucker stated clearly: «The task of leadership is to create an alignment of strengths… so that weaknesses become irrelevant.» This only happens when we view leadership as a service, not a status. Feedback is best offered on a foundation of trust and confidence.
What does this mean for emerging leaders—those transitioning from individual execution to team management?
It means abandoning the belief that excellence is an individual and proprietary act. It isn’t. Excellence is collective. It’s built through trust, communication, and inclusion. It means recognizing that your team members bring their own pace, perspective, and passion, and that your role is to help them move forward, regardless of where they are in their career path. Ideas and ingenuity are not limited by age, but by imagination.
Many people, at all stages of their careers, yearn for growth, clarity, and a sense of belonging. They want to know where they stand and that their voice matters. Our leadership style sets the tone: Are we creating a safe and dynamic environment? Or are we inadvertently generating fear, doubt, or obstacles?
Leading isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being present. Open your mind. Open your heart. Focus not only on tasks, but also on developing people.
Feedback is also part of this.
The Bible says that criticism is a mitzvah—a sacred act—but only when it is offered with care and received with trust.
Some see it as growth; others, as judgment. Leaders must know the difference and build enough trust so that feedback—a two-way dialogue—is welcomed, not feared.
Leaders also influence the emotional climate of a team. A disparaging word, a broken promise, or a lack of recognition can profoundly affect a person’s self-esteem and well-being. Conversely, sincere encouragement, consistent clarity, and faith in someone’s potential can be the catalyst that transforms a career and a life. In every interaction, we have the opportunity to strengthen or weaken someone’s confidence. Choose to support.
Ultimately, leadership isn’t a reward; it’s a responsibility and a privilege. It’s not about being the best, but about the vocation of bringing out the best in others. That’s the kind of leadership our teams need, and that’s the kind of leadership our clients appreciate.
So ask yourself: Are you a highway or a tollbooth?
If you’re unsure, ask your team. Leadership isn’t about how we see ourselves, but how others perceive us.
I’m far from perfect, but I continue to work on my personal development in relation to others. The path of leadership isn’t about achieving perfection, but about being present, learning, adapting, and growing in service to those we lead.
Do people grow when they work with you? Do they feel seen, heard, and supported? Do they find clarity or confusion? Do they advance or stagnate? Great leaders don’t just climb the ladder; they inspire.
Let’s be the kind of leaders who advance careers, pave the way, and create ample space for others to thrive. Never stop!
The True Measure of Leadership: Cultivating a Legacy of Leaders
The following contribution comes from the Leadership First portal, which describes itself as follows: Founded in 2017, Leadership First has grown into a vibrant community for 6.5 million leaders worldwide. For many years, work was perceived simply as a way to earn a living, rather than an opportunity to make a real difference. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Our workplaces can be so much more rewarding, and it’s up to leaders like you to help your team find joy in what they do, encouraging them to achieve their dreams. In the 21st century, effective leadership focuses on connecting with people and inspiring them to believe that anything is possible.
At Leadership First, we are dedicated to sharing the most inspiring quotes and articles on leadership to help leaders create a work environment where everyone feels happy and valued. We firmly believe that work can be enjoyable for everyone, and it all starts with great leadership. Our mission is to support every leader in building an extraordinary organization where people enjoy contributing. This book is authored by Thomas Gifford, founder of Leadership First, who understands the challenges many leaders face. Gifford is deeply committed to sharing the best inspirational quotes and articles to encourage and motivate every leader, providing a daily dose of inspiration to accompany them on their leadership journey. Join other leaders and inspire your team with our Amazon bestseller, «Unlock the Hidden Leader: Become the Leader You Were Meant to Be.» This book has already transformed countless leaders; now it’s your turn. Click the link below to learn more.
Leadership goes beyond holding a title or authority; it embodies the ability to develop and cultivate new leaders. One becomes a true leader when one empowers others to assume that role. This continuous cycle of leadership development defines effective leaders and thriving organizations.
Understanding Leadership
At its core, leadership is about influencing and guiding others toward shared goals. This influence transcends individual success; it should generate a ripple effect that empowers others. When leaders prioritize the growth of their team members, they foster an environment that nurtures leadership.
Effective leaders recognize that their success is not measured solely by personal achievements, but also by the positive influence they have on others. For example, companies with strong mentorship programs report a 25% increase in employee satisfaction. By equipping others with essential leadership skills, these leaders ensure their legacy endures.
The Importance of Developing Future Leaders
Investing in future leaders is essential for an organization’s success and longevity. Strong organizations thrive on a continuous cycle of leadership growth. Successor mentoring offers numerous benefits, including:
Sustainability: Organizations with a clear pipeline of leaders ensure that when one leader leaves, another is ready to take over. This smooth transition maintains organizational stability and alignment with its core values.
Diversity of thought: Bringing in new leaders brings fresh perspectives. A Harvard Business Review study revealed that diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time. This diversity fosters culture and drives innovation.
Higher morale and commitment: When team members see opportunities for advancement, their motivation continues to grow. A high level of commitment typically translates into a 20% increase in productivity, which benefits the entire organization.
Resilience: An organization that cultivates leaders tends to adapt quickly to change. Well-prepared leaders, equipped with diverse skills, can face challenges head-on, ensuring that the organization remains agile and responsive.
Identifying Potential Leaders
Not everyone has a natural inclination toward leadership, but recognizing their potential is the first step. When evaluating people, look for these characteristics:
Vision: Those with a global vision often motivate others toward shared achievements. For example, leaders like Elon Musk inspire their teams to reach ambitious goals by articulating broad visions.
Empathy: Leaders who understand their team’s strengths and weaknesses can effectively provide support and motivation, improving overall team dynamics.
Integrity: Trustworthiness is fundamental for any leader, as individuals must exemplify the values they wish to instill in others. Research shows that leaders with integrity enhance team cohesion.
Courage: Leaders willing to take risks and make difficult decisions inspire confidence in their teams, demonstrating what it means to lead by example.
These qualities can be cultivated through mentorship and experiences that challenge individuals to excel.
Creating a Leadership Culture
To forge a legacy of leaders, organizations must create an environment that fosters leadership at all levels. Consider these strategies for developing such a culture:
Mentoring programs: Connecting emerging leaders with experienced mentors fosters a structured environment for growth. This relationship can have a lasting impact; participants in mentoring programs show a 70% improvement in their leadership skills.
Leadership training: Regular workshops focused on essential leadership skills empower team members. Interpersonal skills, such as communication and problem-solving, are critical, as they improve team interaction and decision-making.
Fostering autonomy: Allowing individuals to lead projects helps them practice and apply their leadership skills in a supportive environment. For example, employees who took ownership of initiatives reported a 60% increase in confidence in their leadership abilities.
Recognition and feedback: Regularly acknowledging team members’ contributions motivates them to take on leadership roles. Constructive feedback can foster improvement and growth.
Creating Safe Spaces for Collaboration: Establish an environment where team members feel safe sharing ideas and learning from mistakes. Innovation flourishes in an environment that fosters open communication.
Measuring Success in Leadership Development
Quantifying success in leadership development can be complex, but several indicators can offer valuable insights:
Employee Retention Rates: Increased retention often indicates strong leadership and a high level of engagement. Companies with effective leadership report retention rates 40% higher than those without.
Internal Promotions: A steady stream of internal promotions reflects successful development strategies. Organizations that prioritize internal mobility see their promotion rates increase by 75%.
Employee Engagement Rates: Regularly measuring employee satisfaction reveals the degree of support an organization provides to future leaders. Engaged employees are 41% less likely to leave the company.
Feedback from emerging leaders: Gathering feedback from those who have received leadership training or mentorship helps evaluate the effectiveness and perceived value of implemented programs.
Final reflection
In today’s fast-paced work environment, cultivating leadership ensures a lasting legacy. True leadership transcends personal achievements; it thrives on the success of those inspired by exceptional leaders.
By investing in a leadership development cycle, you strengthen your organization and contribute to a world where empowered individuals inspire future generations. This is the true measure of effective leadership.
Center for Executive and Leadership Education
The following contribution comes from the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business website and is authored by Jon Kaupla, Vice Dean and Executive Director of Executive and Leadership Education at the University of South Florida’s Muma College of Business.
Center for Executive and Leadership Education | Perspectives | 2025 Articles | How to Know if It Worked?
How to Measure the Success of Leadership Development Programs
How to Know if It Worked? How to Measure the Success of Leadership Development Programs
Leadership development has long been considered a strategic imperative, but measuring its success remains one of the biggest challenges organizations face. It’s easy to rely on post-session surveys or anecdotal praise, but when leaders and boards ask, “Did it make a difference?” we need a more rigorous and meaningful answer.
The truth is, measuring leadership development isn’t so much about ticking boxes as it is about connecting ideas: between learning and behavior, and between behavior and business outcomes. If done well, the investment is justified. If done poorly, it becomes difficult to justify continued support, no matter how engaging the classroom experience may be.
Here’s how to approach it with clarity and confidence.
Start with strategy, not just curriculum. Too often, organizations treat leadership programs as isolated experiences rather than strategic tools. However, the most effective programs are grounded in solving specific, measurable business challenges. This might mean preparing a pool of leaders ready to act immediately, improving cross-functional collaboration, or fostering a culture of innovation.
According to Harvard Business Publishing’s 2024 Global Leadership Development Study, the most impactful programs were those explicitly linked to business transformation goals, such as growth, digital maturity, or workforce agility. When learning aligns with strategy, measurement becomes more intuitive: it’s not just about asking what people learned, but why it mattered.
Stop measuring smiles, start measuring change.
There’s nothing wrong with gathering feedback on the facilitator or the content; it’s useful. But measuring leadership development solely by participant satisfaction is like evaluating a fitness program by how much they liked the gym music. The real question is: Did anything change?
A more holistic approach includes tools such as pre- and post-program assessments, manager evaluations, and longitudinal 360-degree feedback. In fact, LinkedIn’s 2023 Workplace Learning Report noted that organizations using multi-source assessments saw greater progress in behavioral change and team outcomes.
For example, the Leadership/Impact® tool from Human Synergistics, which CPED is proud to partner with, goes beyond basic feedback and measures the relationship between a leader’s behavior, the culture they shape, and the results they drive. It is especially effective at demonstrating how a leader’s approach translates into concrete business results over time.
If your goal is to change the way leaders interact, influence, or make decisions, you need to assess those behaviors over time, not just on the last day of the program. Behavioral change takes time, and so does measurement. Leadership doesn’t develop overnight. Even the most impactful learning experiences take time to become ingrained in daily habits and decision-making. That’s why it’s crucial to establish measurement checkpoints well after the formal program ends—at 3, 6, or even 12 months.
Behavioral Change
A recent DDI Global Leadership Forecast report revealed that while nearly 80% of HR leaders consider behavioral change the most important success metric, only 18% felt confident in their ability to measure it. This gap suggests an opportunity: Organizations that incorporate structured follow-ups—whether through coaching, reflection tools, or meetings with managers—can significantly increase the program’s long-term impact.
Look for the Ripple Effect in Teams
While individual growth is important, strong leadership is most clearly manifested in the people and teams it influences. Are engagement rates improving with newly trained managers? Is staff turnover decreasing? Are direct reports better prepared to assume leadership roles?
Take Hitachi Energy, for example, which implemented a targeted leadership development strategy in 2023. Within a year, salaried staff turnover decreased by 80% and hourly staff turnover by 25%, clear indicators that improved leadership was creating more stable and supportive work environments (DDI Case Study).
Metrics such as team performance, promotion rates, and culture survey results can offer valuable insights into the overall impact of leadership development, especially when compared to baseline data collected before the program began.
Design for Measurement from the Start
Perhaps the most important step in measuring the success of leadership development is to integrate it into the program from day one. Don’t just add a few survey questions at the end; work with stakeholders to define what success means, how it aligns with business objectives, and how progress will be tracked over time. HiBob’s 2024 Workplace Learning Report revealed that organizations that integrate assessment into their program design are significantly more likely to achieve a positive return on investment (ROI), reaching as high as $4.15 for every dollar invested. This impact doesn’t happen by chance; it’s the result of intentional design and cross-functional alignment between HR, business leaders, and program facilitators.
Final Thoughts and a Practical Next Step
Leadership development is a long-term process, but one worth undertaking successfully. If you invest in your leaders, you deserve to know if it’s delivering results. And your leaders deserve support that truly helps them grow.
The most effective organizations don’t just measure whether people learned something, but whether they experienced change: a shift in mindset, behavior, or outcome.
If you’re ready to design a leadership development solution with impact measurement built in from the start, contact one of CPED’s solutions advisors. We will work side by side with you to develop a strategy aligned with your objectives, with the necessary tools to demonstrate that it is making a difference.
HOW CAN A LEADER MEASURE THEIR OWN SUCCESS?
The following contribution comes from the DeakinCo portal, which defines itself as follows: DeakinCo. emerged from DeakinPRIME and Deakin Digital, globally recognized programs of Deakin University. Since its inception, we have had a solid foundation of 25 years of experience offering cutting-edge learning programs. Today, our agility in responding to real business needs in real time is what sets us apart.
Our results-based education and accreditation achieve measurable performance: superior learning with a clear end goal. Furthermore, they are tailored to the specific business needs of each client.
The content is team-based.
Employee loyalty speaks volumes about a leader.
If your organization is experiencing high employee turnover or low retention, it could be an indicator of poor leadership performance, according to business coach Mack Story:
“High turnover rates are an indicator of a leadership problem at the top, not a follow-through problem at the bottom. Leaders are ultimately responsible for influencing turnover and retention. An organization cannot grow beyond the leadership capacity of its top leader.”
Mack also identifies three key areas where good leaders excel. According to Story, high-impact leaders:
“Take ownership of what happens in their family, their team, or their organization.”
“Intentionally allow good things to happen.”
“Intentionally prevent bad things from happening.” Does your team follow you? While some people will always seek better opportunities from time to time, low employee turnover can be an excellent measure of successful leadership. Partly because you save the organization time and money on hiring and training new staff, but mostly because you demonstrate that you are a leader worth following, someone committed to their mission who knows how to communicate and inspire others.
Set your success milestones
Measurable success consists of setting goals and achieving them. As leaders, we often encounter new and tempting activities and methodologies that can distract us from the clear and urgent need to move forward with existing plans and strategies. For Lynne Cazaly, there isn’t one specific measure of success, but rather those established within the context of your business objective:
“There’s this idea that unless you set a goal, you’ll encounter a lot of things along the way that may be far removed from it. They might be fun, novel, engaging, or fulfill some requirements, but they’re probably not directly related to success. So, it would be helpful to define ‘how will we know when we’ve achieved it?’ First, define that. Then, when you achieve it, you’ll know. And that would be success!”
Sometimes we focus so much on studying how to be the best leader that we forget to actually lead. Without milestones on the road to success, there’s nothing to measure. So, start setting relevant and achievable goals, and you’ll soon be on the path to success.
Imitation is flattering, but can success be measured by it?
If you’ve been in the world of business leadership for a while, you have access to an excellent measure of success that others might not: how your employees emulate you by taking on their own leadership roles.
Chris Halberg believes that «we all have very different criteria for defining success,» but he thinks there’s no better proof than the legacy we create.
Look for former students or employees who have progressed professionally; check if they’re on LinkedIn or other social media, or simply send them an email.
Are they now leading their own teams?
What are their management styles and values?
How does it make you feel to see them succeed?
As Chris says,
«All those lives improved and positively impacted—that’s far more important than the corner office or a good parking spot that a bad leader covets.»
Success can be shared through meaningful reflection.
Mentor and speaker Simon Waller prefers to focus on the shared purpose that individuals and teams bring to their collaborations. For Simon, sales may be the primary indicator of overall business success, but for the people within these organizations, nothing is more important than a team that comes together to reflect and define new roles. He states, “My experience in large corporations has taught me that most meaningful things are difficult to measure and that most metrics can be manipulated if someone intends to do so.”
Success can be measured through failure.
For some of us, failure can be a constant worry. In fact, the fear of failure can be the obstacle that stands in our way to success, ironically leading us to the very thing we fear.
For Chris Warner, author of *High Altitude Leadership*, our reaction to failures, both personal and team-based, is an indicator of our success:
“Your reaction to failure reveals your level of self-efficacy. Successful teams see failures as an opportunity to learn and prepare for even greater challenges.”
When your team encounters difficulties, how do you respond? Are you able to inspire and guide, or do you succumb to pessimism? Perhaps the best way to measure your leadership skills is your ability to overcome adversity, to lead by example.
Measure success through your team’s needs and achievements.
For international speaker Brian Tracy, the true measure of success lies in the team’s accomplishments. “When you take on a leadership role, the focus shifts to the team’s needs, rather than your own, so it’s crucial to get constant feedback to effectively assess success,” he says.
Are your team members meeting their individual goals?
Do they even have individual goals?
Measuring leadership success goes beyond a personal trajectory; it’s the team’s story. If you’re meeting deadlines without having to work overtime every week, you’re likely on the right track to success—something that will reflect positively on both leadership and staff.
Similarly, Irene Becker of the 3Q Leadership blog also highlights team achievements as a key element in measuring leadership success:
“It’s not just about financial results or quantifiable metrics, but I make sure these questions are answered: Are we improving our skills? Are we better this year than last? Are we inspiring more people to take action? Jim Rohn said, ‘Success is something you attract by the person you become.’ I’ve embraced his philosophy.”
Measure success by doing what matters.
Business coach Sonia Macdonald is reluctant to focus on money and power as fixed measures of success. While a successful project generally translates into more money, working within an organization means you can’t always check your bank account to make sure you’re on the right track.
Furthermore, there are times when we work for non-profit organizations and charities. If we focus too much on money and power in these situations, we’re likely to make mistakes.
Sonia, who works with LeadershipHQ, advocates for measuring success by doing what truly matters within an organization and considering the meaning this brings to others. Macdonald states:
“I measure my success based on the meaning I create for those who work with me.”
Take a self-assessment of your accountability.
“Profit is an outcome, not the cause of success.”
So says Fabian Dattner, founding partner of Dattner Grant. Having worked with numerous organizations on a wide variety of projects, Fabian has found that measuring success often comes down to analyzing what you are accountable for and “determining whether it is in better shape than when we found it.”
Think about the current long-term strategy.
Eric J. McNulty of Strategy+Business states: “The best leaders achieve short-term goals while developing long-term capabilities and skills. The present is just one step toward a larger goal.”
Eric includes KPIs, quarterly and annual targets, and employee turnover rates among the short-term objectives that align with the current strategy. He emphasized the importance of not «reducing the mission and culture to meet immediate needs.»
He believes that looking forward and looking back are equally important.
«Looking forward helps put the present into perspective,» Eric says. Looking back involves «considering the lasting value of what you did in your role.»
What impact did you have?
What legacy did you leave?
On time and within budget
Perhaps the most concrete measure of our success as leaders is also the simplest. John Baldoni thinks that measuring success as a leader is easy. We just have to ask ourselves these three questions:
Did we achieve what we set out to do?
Did we do it on time and within budget?
What did we learn from the experience?
Growing and improving effectively as a leader
How do you measure your success as a leader? Do you look for concrete indicators in the data, or do you prefer to consult the team and get their personal opinions? Perhaps it’s a combination of both?
However you choose to measure your success as a leader, the most important thing is to keep going, adapt to challenges, and continue moving forward.
How to Measure Leadership Effectiveness with the Whole Brain® Method
The following contribution comes from the Herrmann website, which defines itself as follows: At Herrmann, our goal is to empower organizations and individuals to reach their full potential through cutting-edge technology solutions and innovative thinking. We strive to be a trusted partner, providing transformative tools and insights that drive sustainable growth and competitive advantage in a constantly evolving business environment.
By democratizing Whole Brain® Thinking tools, we drive continuous learning, adaptation, and collective advancement for individuals and teams in organizations of all sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to small and medium-sized businesses.
Our commitment is to deliver excellence in every aspect of our operations. We are dedicated to understanding our clients’ unique challenges and objectives and tailoring our solutions to their needs. Leveraging our technological expertise and deep industry knowledge, we seek to revolutionize the way businesses operate, enabling them to adapt, innovate, and thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Authored by Herrmann International
Many organizations invest in leadership development. Few know if it actually works. They track attendance, perhaps send out a post-training survey, and take it for granted. But this kind of data doesn’t show whether people are leading more effectively. It doesn’t reflect how they think, how they act under pressure, or how they influence their teams.
Effective leadership isn’t one-dimensional, nor is it measured by a single metric. It manifests as more accurate decision-making, clearer communication, effective follow-up, innovation, and progress in the areas most important to the business.
The Whole Brain® method facilitates the visualization of these results. It offers a practical perspective for measuring how leaders think and act across the analytical, practical, relational, and experiential dimensions. Each of these influences leader performance and leaves a measurable footprint.
The problem isn’t that leadership can’t be measured, but rather that most teams aren’t measuring the right things.
Integral Thinking Model® for Leadership Development
Integral Thinking Model: Leadership manifests in diverse ways. Some leaders excel through data-driven decision-making, others through meticulous execution, building empathetic teams, or visionary innovation. Recognizing and valuing these diverse approaches is essential for a holistic understanding of leadership effectiveness.
Integral Thinking® offers a comprehensive framework for appreciating these differences. It is the foundation of effective leadership development strategies that work with different cognitive styles. It categorizes thinking preferences into four quadrants:
Analytical (Blue): Logical thinking, based on data and facts.
Practical (Green): Organized, sequential, and detail-oriented thinking.
Relational (Red): Emotional, interpersonal, and empathetic thinking.
Experiential (Yellow): Holistic, intuitive, and imaginative thinking.
By evaluating leaders from this perspective, organizations can identify strengths and areas for improvement, ensuring a balanced leadership approach that aligns with diverse business needs.
What gets measured depends on how you think.
Leadership development programs should go beyond simply obtaining certificates. They should measure the impact of leadership development on team members and business results.
Each thinking style points to a different way in which development can create value and contribute to long-term success. The following leadership KPI examples combine qualitative perspectives and quantitative metrics for leadership development programs.
Analytical: Show me the ROI (Examples of leadership metrics and KPIs).
Analytical thinkers look for evidence. They search for patterns in the data and value clear proof that something works.
Business results: Monitor performance metrics influenced by leadership: revenue growth, cost savings, profit per employee.
Goal achievement: Evaluate whether leaders achieve strategic objectives after the program.
Return on investment (ROI): Compare the program’s costs with quantifiable gains, such as increased productivity or reduced employee turnover.
What does success mean?: The program generates quantifiable business improvements, and a clear relationship can be established between development and results.
Practical approach: Ensure the plan’s effectiveness.
Practical thinkers focus on execution. They want to know that plans were followed, systems were adopted, and leaders applied what they learned.
Project completion rates: Measure how many participants completed learning paths, workshops, or coaching programs.
Behavioral tracking: Monitor the number of leaders who put new skills into practice through performance reviews, manager feedback, or self-assessments.
Milestone delivery: Evaluate the success of leadership initiative implementation, system changes, or launch timelines. Behavioral observations: Look for evidence of new behaviors: improved communication, more effective feedback, better delegation.
What does success mean?: Leaders consistently apply what they’ve learned. Development moves from theoretical to operational.
Relational: Strengthening the team.
Those who adopt a relational approach value trust, cohesion, and emotional intelligence. They believe success lies in how leadership influences people’s emotions, performance, and collaboration.
Commitment and satisfaction scores: Measure team trust, sense of belonging, and motivation once leaders complete the development.
360° Feedback: Gather feedback from direct reports on empathy, communication, and leadership presence.
Retention and Internal Mobility: Evaluate whether teams led by program participants show higher retention or internal promotion rates.
Leadership Satisfaction and Relevance Surveys: Ask participants how relevant the program was to their role.
Program Satisfaction and Promotion: Assess the likelihood of recommending the program.
What Does Success Mean?: Leaders create healthier teams, build stronger relationships, and contribute to a more engaged culture.
Experimental: Driving Growth
Experimental thinkers value vision, adaptability, and bold thinking. They want to know if the program inspired new ways of working.
Innovation Outcomes: Measure new ideas launched, pilot projects tested, or strategies modified following the program.
Change Readiness: Monitor how leaders and their teams respond to disruption or transformation.
Strategic influence: Evaluate how many participants contribute to conversations about the future and to business model innovation.
Success is demonstrated when leaders think big, respond quickly, and help the organization evolve.
What is measured depends on the perspective.
A Holistic Model for Measuring Leadership Effectiveness
The most effective leadership development strategies don’t just focus on developing capabilities in a single quadrant. They incorporate key performance indicators (KPIs) aligned with each thinking style to help teams make informed decisions, track continuous improvement, and drive strategic planning.
These metrics ensure your leadership development program reflects both individual growth and organizational priorities. They propel leaders through all four quadrants and measure success in the same way. This kind of intentional measurement is the foundation of the most effective leadership development strategies for aligning investment with impact.
When your assessment strategy reflects the full spectrum of thinking, you gain a clearer understanding of what works, where to improve, and how to develop the kind of leaders your company truly needs.
Create a Comprehensive Leadership Report Using Key Metrics
Reporting on leadership development can be one of the most stressful parts of the job for HR and Learning and Development professionals. It’s not just about sharing numbers; The goal is to demonstrate that your organization is investing its budget and staff time wisely. And you’re doing this in front of an audience that perceives value from very different perspectives.
Whole Brain® Thinking can also be helpful here, as it provides a framework for organizing ideas in a way that resonates with analytical minds seeking return on investment (ROI), practical leaders who want evidence of action, colleagues who value team dynamics, and experiential thinkers looking for transformative progress.
Analytical: Making Sense of the Data
Analytical thinkers need precision and business logic.
Create dashboards that connect leadership development to concrete business outcomes: retention, revenue, productivity, and cost savings.
Use clear success criteria and track variations over time.
Highlight where changes in leadership behavior are measurably occurring, using performance metrics and data collection methods that reflect the impact of leadership development on team performance.
Deliverable: A concise KPI dashboard linked to business performance.
Practical: Record what actually happens. Practical thinkers want to know if the plan was followed and what was achieved.
Measure completions, milestone achievement, and applied learning.
Track compliance in performance reviews and feedback logs.
Ensure the metrics you use are easy to collect, repeat, and scale.
Outcome: A clear operational report on who participated, what they did, and where the gaps are.
Relational: Incorporate the human story. Those who focus on relationships need to know how the leadership development program is impacting people.
Incorporate 360-degree feedback, quick survey results, and coaching notes.
Highlight team-level changes: engagement, collaboration, and retention.
Share quotes, anecdotes, or topics from interviews with participants.
Outcome: A qualitative summary of changes at the interpersonal and team levels.
Experimental: Reveals strategic perspectives.
Those who consider experimentation want to see the big picture.
Map development trends with organizational strategy and innovation goals.
Highlight cross-functional contributions, idea generation, and forward-thinking behavior.
Use the report to spark curiosity, not just confirm assumptions.
Outcome: A synthesis report with insights to define the next phase of leadership strategy.
Why Whole Brain® Thinking Drives Leadership Development
Whole Brain® Thinking goes beyond understanding individual preferences; it’s a tool for developing high-performing teams. By understanding how a person thinks, you can guide them with greater intentionality, build more balanced teams, and align leadership behaviors with the results that truly matter.
Personalize Coaching
Data on thinking preferences can make development more personalized and effective. The HBDI® assessment helps leaders identify their blind spots, overcome habitual patterns, and approach challenges from fresh perspectives.
Use HBDI® results to:
Tailore coaching strategies to how leaders prefer to think
Guide conversations that encourage leaders to explore uncharted territory
Track the growth of cognitive agility over time.
In IBM’s global leadership development program, 96% of participants said the program content was relevant to their current or future leadership roles, providing a strong foundation for effective coaching conversations. When leaders see themselves reflected in the content, they are more likely to apply what they learn at critical moments.
Strengthen your leadership teams
Leadership is not an individual endeavor. The most effective teams combine different ways of thinking, and Whole Brain® Thinking helps you intentionally design for this.
Use team-level thinking data to:
Visualize the thinking composition of your leadership group.
Identify gaps or excessive reliance on certain styles.
Building High-Performing Teams with Greater Cognitive Diversity
In Upright’s leadership transformation, measurable results included improved communication, increased self-awareness, and reduced conflict. Participants not only completed a program but also fostered trust across different styles and adapted to their teams in new ways.
Measure What Really Matters for Your Leadership Program
Leadership development isn’t just about meeting formal requirements. It’s about tangible change, and that change begins with how people think.
The Whole Brain Thinking® model provides a powerful tool for observing that change in action. By analyzing analytical rigor, practical execution, relational impact, and experiential initiative, we move beyond superficial metrics and get to the heart of what makes a leader effective.
Take the HBDI® test with your team and discover new insights to help your organization thrive.
How to Measure the Results of Leadership Development
The following contribution comes from the DDI portal, which defines itself as: Driving growth throughout the leadership cycle for over 55 years.
With DDI, organizations develop better leaders who deliver results. We redefine the boundaries of what’s possible, transform leadership into your competitive advantage, and empower HR to lead as a strategic business partner.
Authorship by the team.
Measuring the results of leadership development is challenging, but not impossible. Learn how to monitor behavioral change, demonstrate its impact, and drive business success.
/ Resources / Blogs / How to Measure the Results of Leadership Development
We all know the saying: «You can’t manage what you don’t measure.» However, many organizations still struggle to measure the impact of leadership development on their teams and business performance. While 78% of HR leaders say that behavioral change is the most valuable measure of success, many find it difficult to monitor. This presents a problem, as sustained behavioral change is what generates tangible business results. Without a clear plan, even the best training programs may lack the data needed to demonstrate their impact. Meanwhile, senior executives across all sectors are demanding clearer evidence of results.
When leadership development lacks measurable outcomes, it becomes dispensable and is often the first budget item to be cut in tough times. Without evidence of impact, executives leave, ineffective leaders fail to improve, and top talent seeks better growth opportunities elsewhere.
The biggest obstacle to measurement is that it is often considered an afterthought. Without strategic metrics established from the outset, it can be difficult to collect the necessary data later. That’s why it’s crucial to think about measurement from the beginning, not as an afterthought.
To plan how you will measure results, ask yourself these questions:
Business Impact
How will this leadership program accelerate business performance?
Stakeholder Priorities
What do my stakeholders need, and what data do they find valuable?
Long-Term Success
How do I define success in one year? And in three?
Data Collection
How will I collect the data?
Accountability
Who is involved and accountable for tracking progress and measuring results?
When you can demonstrate real impact, it not only benefits the company but also strengthens your own credibility. As a result, leadership development shifts from an added benefit to a critical business lever that drives organizational success.
In this blog, we’ll show you different ways to measure the results of your leadership development program.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Monthly Leadership Trends and Tips
From best practices to the latest research, gain insights to help you develop and support leaders.
How do you measure success in leadership development?
For leadership development to move from being an added benefit to a fundamental business driver, the Learning and Development (L&D) department must rethink how it measures success. A well-designed program not only develops leaders but also generates tangible business results, including:
– Improved business performance.
– Increased leadership engagement.
– Greater impact and value for Human Resources.
These are the results stakeholders are looking for. And if they aren’t measured, it’s difficult to demonstrate the value of leadership development or secure continued support. The Human Resources department needs to collect clear data that goes beyond superficial metrics to demonstrate real behavioral change and a real impact on the business.
Of course, measuring behavioral change isn’t easy. It’s much simpler to track participation and completion. But attendance alone doesn’t mean leaders are developing the skills needed to succeed. It’s when the Learning and Development (L&D) department adopts a strategic approach to measurement that the true impact of leadership development becomes apparent.
One of the most widely used methods for measuring impact is the Kirkpatrick Model. This model assesses learning at four levels and remains the most common approach for L&D teams. In the next section, we’ll explain how this model can help you measure results effectively.
Level 1 Assessment: Measuring Reaction.
How are your leaders responding to your program? In the Kirkpatrick Model, this level represents the degree to which participants find the program supportive, engaging, and relevant to them. While many organizations measure Level 1 with satisfaction surveys, this model goes beyond participant satisfaction and also includes:
Participation: The degree to which participants actively engage and contribute to the learning experience.
Relevance: The degree to which training participants will have the opportunity to use or apply what they learned in their work.
These measures alone do not indicate whether leaders acquired skills. However, they can help predict two key aspects:
Personal motivation: Are leaders committed to the program? When leaders have high personal motivation, they are more likely to apply the skills in their work.
Job relevance: Did the program provide opportunities to practice the new skills before applying them on the job?
According to our own research, personal motivation and job relevance are key factors in predicting skills use or behavioral change. Therefore, while they do not prove that leaders have changed their behavior, they are positive signs that the program is on the right track.
However, many companies stop here. While this feedback helps to understand the level of participant engagement, it doesn’t show whether they are changing their behavior on the job.
Level 2 Assessment: Measuring Learning.
What should program leaders retain? Kirkpatrick defines this level as the degree to which participants acquire the intended knowledge, skills, attitude, confidence, and commitment, based on their participation in the program.
You can track learning through post-program assessments or by taking pre- and post-training tests to measure progress. First, you will need to identify the specific learning objectives of your program. Then, you will need to assess those outcomes before and after the training.
For example, DDI courses include assessments of informal and formal knowledge. Assessments that measure knowledge of practical skills also provide data for this level.
These assessments help ensure that leaders understand the theory behind what they are supposed to do, but not whether they can demonstrate the skill.
Level 3 Assessment: Measuring Behavioral Change.
Are your leaders applying what they learned in the program? In the Kirkpatrick Model, this level measures the degree to which participants apply what they learned during the program upon returning to their work.
Keep in mind that behavioral change takes time. Leaders may need to build their confidence and find the right opportunities to apply their knowledge. Behavioral change can be measured through surveys or interviews, especially with the managers and direct reports of program participants. It is critical that survey participants clearly understand the behaviors or competencies necessary for leaders to succeed.
At DDI, we measure behavioral change by comparing how frequently leaders use effective leadership behaviors before and after development. For example, DDI’s Impact Assessment survey, conducted with over 1,300 leaders, revealed that after participating in the DDI program, 82% of participants were rated as effective, representing a 24% increase from the program’s inception. It is important for managers, peers, and direct reports to provide feedback on behavioral change. Program participants can also report on their own change, which helps them reflect on their personal growth.
Level 4 Assessment: Measuring Results.
How do top leaders impact the business? According to Kirkpatrick, this level measures the degree to which the intended organizational results are achieved as a result of the initiative and the subsequent support and accountability package. While this is the most comprehensive form of measurement, it is also where it is most likely to capture the attention of stakeholders and executives.
Here are some examples of concrete results that organizations achieved after a DDI leadership program:
Reduced employee turnover: After implementing a training program to develop key skills in frontline leaders, Hitachi Energy reduced employee turnover by 80%. Of the 750 plant supervisors who participated, more than two-thirds reported greater personal and team commitment, and 92% stated they felt engaged in their work.
Increased sales: After implementing a leadership program for sales managers, a pharmaceutical company experienced a 105% increase in sales volume. Sales productivity increased by an average of 68% per representative whose managers completed the DDI program.
Safety: To promote a culture that fosters employee development, motivation, and retention, nearly 400 employees at a manufacturing company participated in a DDI leadership program. Accidents decreased by 70%, and employee turnover also fell by 90%.
Personal motivation and job relevance are key factors that predict skills application or behavioral change.
ROI Calculation Examples
You can determine the return on investment (ROI) of your leadership program by calculating its implementation costs and measuring its financial impact on your business. Here are two examples of organizations that calculated the ROI of their leadership development program:
$4.4 million ROI: An automotive manufacturing company implemented a DDI program in several production plants with a history of low productivity and performance issues. Similar control plants were selected as a comparison group. Quality, on-time parts delivery, productivity, health and safety, and absenteeism were tracked to determine the impact. Compared to the control plants, the experimental plant showed a 21% improvement in productivity, generating an estimated return of $4.4 million.
$20 Million Saved: Hitachi Energy saved approximately $20 million by reducing employee turnover and increasing employee engagement in the 18 months following the launch of its leadership development program. Its Employer Choice Index score nearly doubled, rising from 45 to 85 (out of 100), laying the foundation for long-term success.
Measuring Implementation Support
The success of your leadership development program also depends on your implementation plan and the support available to participants. DDI also measures:
Environmental Support: Do senior managers support the program? Are there opportunities to apply newly acquired skills on the job? Are there barriers preventing leaders from participating in further development opportunities? These external factors can either slow down or accelerate the effectiveness of your leadership program.
Management Reinforcement: Do managers promote development? Do participants discuss opportunities to apply new skills with their managers? Management support is one of the top three predictors of behavioral change.
Keep results on track with key indicators.
While your primary goal is to drive business results and generate behavioral change in leaders, monitoring initial key indicators can help you determine if you are on the right track.
Key indicators show the effectiveness of your current strategy and point to future results.
They may include:
– Percentage of leaders reached across the organization.
– Participant engagement or attendance rate.
– Manager participation in support sessions.
– Content accessed (launched or downloaded) from your LMS, LXP, or online learning platform.
– Content completion rate.
Create a measurement plan.
As mentioned, one of the biggest challenges in measuring the effectiveness of leadership development is that it is often considered after the fact. If not planned in advance, it can be much more difficult to gather data on the program’s success.
That’s why it’s so important to create a plan to measure results when designing your program. A simple measurement planning grid can help you stay focused. For each success metric you identify, you’ll need to determine:
Metric: What is being measured?
Data source: Where is the data coming from?
Data collection timeframe or deadline: Will it be measured before, during, or after the training? How often will the data be collected?
Outcomes: What is the format of the measurement or evaluation?
Accountability: Which department or team will provide the data?
Are there any issues or support needed?
Measuring results to plan next steps: Measuring the results of leadership development isn’t optional; it’s essential. Without the right data, it’s difficult to demonstrate business value or gain continued stakeholder support. But when done correctly, measurement goes beyond justifying costs. It positions leadership development as a strategic driver for the business.
A well-measured program creates a virtuous cycle:
better data leads to more effective programs, which develop better leaders, ultimately driving better business results. With this approach, leadership development is not seen as an expense, but as the fundamental tool it is for growth, innovation, and organizational success.
When leadership programs are properly measured, they transform not only individual careers, but also company culture and overall business results. The best leaders engage teams, improve performance, and create a work environment where both the business and its people thrive.
DDI partners with organizations to measure what truly matters. With our impact assessment approach, you can evaluate leadership programs at every level, from leaders’ reactions and learning to behavioral change and business outcomes, making it easier than ever to demonstrate impact.
Measuring Leadership: Inspiration and Accountability
The following contribution comes from the McKinsey website and is authored by Daniel Morales, Global Leader of People Analytics and Strategy, based in the Washington, D.C. office; Elizabeth Ledet, former partner and current senior advisor, based in the Atlanta, Georgia office; and Lauren Rebagliati, Director of People Analytics, also based in the Washington, D.C. office.
McKinsey’s leadership metrics system prioritizes people-centered values. This approach helps the firm improve leadership effectiveness and drives positive change by focusing on employee well-being and engagement.
The role of people leadership is not as simple as it seems. Especially in these times, where business, social, and climate disruptions intertwine, effective leadership requires a multidimensional perspective that encompasses two factors:
the needs of the organization and the needs of its people (including those of the leaders themselves).
In their new book, «The Leadership Journey,» four senior partners at McKinsey offer today’s leaders ways to better understand and adapt their leadership styles. The book emphasizes an inside-out mindset, in which leaders continually reflect on and reinvent their approaches to leading others. Among the key findings is the need for leaders to adopt a people-centered approach to team management, characterized by humility, empathy, and vulnerability.
Of course, this self-awareness can only develop in a psychologically safe environment and with continuous monitoring and measurement of leadership development behaviors and outcomes within the organization.
Without a deep understanding of who excels as people leaders and who struggles (and in what specific areas), it is virtually impossible for any organization to design and implement meaningful interventions.
At McKinsey, we tackle this challenge head-on. In a relatively short timeframe, we designed, developed, and implemented a comprehensive people leadership measurement system, consisting of a set of leadership metrics that transform an abstract concept into something quantifiable.
This system provides leaders with a wide range of customized metrics, helping them identify their weaknesses, clarify their leadership strengths, and highlight areas for improvement. By making these metrics more transparent to their peers, we have observed a significant impact. For example, leaders often say, “I thought I was way ahead of everyone else in this area, but I actually need to improve.”
Developing the people leadership measurement system required several key technological elements:
A robust database. A robust database of selected individuals, developed over time and supported by a top-tier, innovation-driven analytics team, forms the backbone of our approach. This includes filling data gaps, where necessary, with new and innovative measures and sources, such as our Mentorship Sponsorship Survey, which invites colleagues to recognize those who have significantly contributed to their development.
Advanced technology development capabilities. We use rigorous analytics to identify and prioritize key metrics, combined with the ability to rapidly design and prototype new solutions.
Alignment with our leadership development model. We have developed an analytical approach that aligns with our conceptual people leadership model, seamlessly integrating it into our organization’s development and assessment framework.
Equally important, several key factors supported the people leadership measurement system, helping to ensure its practical application and impact across the firm:
Leadership integration: Our efforts are supported by a broad range of senior leaders, whose support and sponsorship have been critical, especially during critical times, such as the increased emphasis on people leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their commitment has ensured that our initiatives are prioritized and fully integrated into our development and evaluation processes.
Accountability: The measured and thoughtful use of the People Leadership Measurement System, as part of our internal review and evaluation processes, strengthens the system and underscores the crucial importance of People Leadership to McKinsey’s success.
Public Recognition: Finally, through high-visibility communications and celebrations hosted by major sponsors in each region, we regularly recognize our outstanding people leaders who excel in supporting their colleagues. Benefits of this Approach to Measuring People Leadership
The impact of this collection of leadership indicators has been transformative in several key areas. First, the systematic measurement of leadership indicators has significantly boosted support across the organization, highlighting the importance of focused development. People now have a better understanding of their areas for personal growth, which enhances their ability to lead effectively. For example, one leader discovered a significant gap between their team’s perception of their leadership and the regional average, which fell short of expectations. To address this, they committed to being more present and available to support their teams on a daily basis.
Second, evaluation committees have found it easier to analyze people leadership with concrete, data-driven evidence, moving away from vague or anecdotal feedback. This shift has not only reinforced the importance of the people leadership dimension alongside customer service, but has also fostered the development of more well-rounded leaders within the company.
Furthermore, we have gained valuable insights into leadership gaps across various regions and practices, identifying areas where targeted intervention and support are needed. These gaps can be proactively addressed through development, adjustments to leadership structures, and other measures. For example, the head of one of our European offices analyzed the aggregate sponsorship scores of all partners and discovered that a small group of senior leaders was providing the majority of support to junior colleagues. This finding prompted a new initiative to develop sponsorship skills among all leaders in her office, ensuring that everyone is involved in supporting junior colleagues.
As experience shows, cultivating high-impact leaders is an ongoing process that requires constant monitoring, measurement, and adaptation.
However, the effort is worthwhile: organizations that invest in creating a culture of psychological safety, directly address leadership behaviors, and hold leaders accountable will be better positioned to thrive. Dynamic and accountable people leadership will remain a cornerstone of successful and healthy organizations.
Effective Leadership: What Makes a Good Leader?
The following contribution comes from the Gallup website and was written by the team.
Great leadership is based on self-awareness, developing others, and leading from your own strengths. Explore Gallup’s research and insights on effective leadership and discover how to become a better leader, starting with what you already do well.
What is effective leadership?
Effective leadership aligns people and successfully guides them toward a common goal, inspiring action, developing others, and leading from your own unique strengths.
Effective leadership involves:
Defining clear results and communicating them to the team
Uniting people around a common purpose
Leading from strengths, recognizing and applying your natural talents
Fostering commitment by taking ownership of the team culture
Developing others instead of simply directing their tasks
Building trust so people feel empowered and willing to follow
What is a Leader?
A leader is anyone, regardless of their position or industry, who is responsible for guiding others toward a result. Whether you lead a corporation, a classroom, or a team of volunteers, leadership is defined by influence: the ability to motivate people toward something meaningful.
What makes leadership effective?
Leadership involves inspiring, aligning, and motivating those who follow. Leading effectively begins with knowing your natural strengths, applying them intentionally, and helping your teams do the same.
Great leaders:
focus on individual and team strengths to enhance performance and development.
They understand how team members’ strengths complement each other and use that knowledge to create strong partnerships that deliver results.
They acknowledge their weaknesses but leverage their strengths to achieve higher performance, both for themselves and their teams.
Effective leadership methods vary from leader to leader, so what defines effective leadership is not so much adopting a particular style, but knowing your strengths and deliberately using them to lead.
Effective leadership also requires leaders to define responsibilities and results for themselves and their teams. Since unclear expectations erode trust, successful leaders ensure that everyone understands what success means and how to achieve it. They also take ownership of their followers’ engagement and the team culture, as how leaders present themselves daily influences how people experience their work.
Leading with Strengths: The Gallup Leadership Study
Examples of Effective Leadership
Hear from some of the world’s most influential leaders about practical ways to increase leadership effectiveness, strengthen relationships, and improve team results.
Why is effective leadership important?
Effective leadership is the single most important factor in an organization’s performance. Gallup research shows that managers account for 70% of the variation in team engagement, highlighting the importance of leadership in creating a stable, high-performing culture. Since leaders influence everything from employee well-being to profitability, understanding why leadership matters is essential to business success.
The results of effective leadership are visible in three areas:
Employee engagement. Among employees who strongly agree that their leaders instilled enthusiasm for the future, 69% are engaged, compared to 1% who disagree.
Business results. Teams with high levels of engagement, led by effective leaders, experience 23% higher profitability and significantly lower employee turnover than teams with low levels of engagement.
The lives of followers. There is a direct connection between people’s perceptions of their lives and the presence of positive leadership attributes.
What followers need from leaders. The Gallup Global Leadership Report: What Followers Want, based on surveys conducted in 52 countries, reveals that followers worldwide consistently prioritize four aspects of their leaders: hope, trust, compassion, and stability.
Hope is the dominant need. In Gallup’s research, 56% of mentions of positive leadership traits relate to hope. When leaders fulfill their followers’ need for hope, well-being increases and suffering decreases.
Trust is fundamental to effective leadership. Honest and clear communication, coupled with consistent behavior, builds trust. When followers trust their leaders, 1 in 2 feel engaged; when they don’t, only 1 in 12 do.
Compassion involves seeing people as whole individuals and looking beyond their productivity. Followers whose leaders demonstrate genuine concern are more likely to advocate for their organization and support their colleagues.
Stability keeps people present and connected. When employees feel their jobs and organizations are secure, they can focus and perform at their best. Followers are nine times more likely to feel engaged when they believe their company has a secure financial future.
The 4 Needs of Followers
Hope, Trust, Compassion, and Stability
The Business Case for Compassion
Empathetic leadership generates measurable business results. A Gallup study on compassion reveals that employees who feel their supervisor genuinely cares about them as individuals are:
more productive in their daily tasks
more profitable for their employers
more likely to stay with the organization long-term
better at creating engaged and loyal customer experiences
The return on investment in empathy is real. Leaders who care about their followers’ motivations and concerns build a high-performance culture that is directly reflected in the bottom line.
What are the qualities of a good leader?
Good leaders are authentic, self-aware, committed to growth and development, genuinely interested in the people they lead, and consistent in their leadership style. Each leader expresses these qualities differently, according to their natural talents.
The qualities of a great leader include:
Authenticity based on self-awareness, which means understanding your natural strengths, your leadership style, and how you influence others, and leading from that knowledge rather than imitating others.
A commitment to growth by investing in your own development and the development of those you lead.
A genuine curiosity about your team, their needs, and their strengths.
Consistency by being reliably present for your team and practicing leadership behaviors that contribute to performance, development, and success.
Authenticity over imitation
What makes a good leader? Effective leaders focus on authenticity. They lead from who they are, rather than copying others. Authenticity is based on self-awareness: understanding your natural strengths, how they manifest in your leadership, and how they influence those around you.
Leaders who know themselves make better decisions, engage their teams, and foster performance over time. Instead of trying to develop talents they don’t naturally possess, they enhance their strengths and surround themselves with people whose strengths complement their own.
Growth, Curiosity, and Consistency
The characteristics of a good leader are manifested in how they invest in their own development and that of others, in the deep understanding and concern they feel for their team members, and in the reliability with which they fulfill their commitments.
Growth: Through intentional practice, meaningful experiences, and a willingness to keep learning, leaders invest in their own growth and create opportunities for others to develop.
Curiosity: Great leaders want to understand their people, their needs, their motivations, and what helps them thrive.
Consistency: Presence, practicing appropriate behaviors, and keeping commitments build trust between leaders and their teams over time.
How do great leaders build effective teams?
Great leaders build effective teams by positioning people to do what they do best and empowering them to work well together. Successful teams have leaders who align each individual’s roles with their natural strengths, provide the necessary resources and partnerships for performance, develop team members, and set clear expectations so everyone knows their purpose and how they contribute.
To build an effective team, leaders must:
Know the natural strengths of each team member and their own.
Assign people tasks and projects that align with their talents.
Identify complementary collaborations within the team.
Develop people continuously, not just when performance declines.
Set clear expectations and communicate them frequently.
Learn and apply the team’s strengths.
Before a leader can build an effective team, they need to understand their team’s talents and dynamics. Gallup’s CliftonStrengths® assessment gives leaders a clear view of how each team member, including themselves, naturally thinks, feels, and behaves, and how those natural tendencies manifest in their work.
The team’s talent composition is critical. When people with complementary strengths collaborate, they make better decisions and achieve better results. Each person contributes in a unique way, bringing out the best in others, and strong collaborations help teams move faster and achieve higher levels of performance.
How to Lead Teams with the CliftonStrengths Strengths Matrix
The CliftonStrengths Strengths Matrix is a practical tool that provides leaders with a visual overview of their team’s collective strengths in four areas: Execution, Influence, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. It shows where the team’s strengths lie and where there are areas for improvement.
With the Strengths Matrix, leaders can:
Assign team members to projects based on their optimal performance.
Identify natural alliances and collaboration opportunities.
Recognize areas for improvement and plan how to address them.
Guide focused conversations about how the team works together.
When a leader and team understand the composition of the team’s strengths, collaboration improves and progress is faster. The Strengths Matrix is a practical tool that helps teams work smarter and achieve more than they could individually.
Continuous Staff Development
The best leaders don’t wait for a performance review or for someone to make a mistake to invest in their team. Gallup research on employee engagement shows that development is one of the most important factors for engagement and that highly engaged teams experience significantly lower turnover and better performance.
Leaders create a development culture by making it a priority and empowering their managers to do the same. This involves guiding team members through challenging tasks, helping them understand how their strengths apply to new situations, and holding regular conversations about feedback and development.
Setting Clear Expectations and Building Trust
Trust develops when leaders set clear expectations, communicate frequently, and deliver on their promises. Gallup research shows that when leaders lack clarity about their own roles and outcomes, it can cause team members to lose trust in them.
Effective leaders discuss expectations frequently, both individually and with the entire team. They communicate where the team is headed, what each person is responsible for, and how individual contributions connect to the overall goal, so everyone can show up focused, confident, and ready to give their best.
How can I be a better leader?
You become a great leader at work by understanding your natural talents, identifying your leadership style, and applying that knowledge to guide your team toward high performance. Improve your leadership by developing self-awareness through these three steps:
Identify your top strengths.
Identify your typical leadership style.
Analyze how you lead in different areas.
Step 1. Identify your dominant strength domain.
To understand your natural leadership style, start by identifying your dominant CliftonStrengths domain. Gallup studied more than 20,000 senior leaders and over one million work teams and found that every leader excels in one of four domains based on the 34 CliftonStrengths themes:
Execution themes enable things to happen and results to be achieved.
Influence themes propel others toward goals and ensure their voices are heard.
Relationship Building themes foster cohesion, trust, and lasting connections.
Strategic Thinking themes enable you to assimilate information, analyze situations, and make sound decisions.
Step 2. Identify your typical leadership style.
You have strengths in all four domains, but one is dominant, where your natural talents are strongest and generate the most energy. This domain defines your typical leadership style:
Process-oriented leader
Impact-oriented leader
People-oriented leader
Thought-oriented leader
Step 3. Analyze how you lead in the different domains.
Many leadership models ask you to identify or choose a style: Are you task-oriented or relationship-oriented? Are you analytical or authoritarian? This approach limits your perspective on leadership.
Gallup’s approach focuses on how you lead in the different domains, based on your strengths. Every leader achieves results, influences others, builds relationships, and thinks strategically. By understanding your leadership style and strengths, you can develop your best leadership behaviors and create strategies to lead effectively in your weaker areas.
For example, a process-oriented leader doesn’t have the same natural strengths as a people-oriented leader, but both can build strong relationships by developing the relationship-building skills that best suit them. A thought-oriented leader may not have the same natural influence as an impact-oriented leader, but they can still inspire people to achieve their goals by focusing on their strongest areas of influence.
Even leaders who share the same style achieve different results based on their unique combination of talents. If one impact-oriented leader’s core areas include Communication® and Relevance®, and another’s include Command® and Competence®, they will take entirely different approaches to leading their team.