Lesser-Known Traits of a Good Leader

We all know the common traits of a good leader⁠—honesty, confidence, good communication skills, to name a few⁠—but what about the ones we don’t hear about as often?

Some of the lesser-known traits of a good leader are the most vital. Here are some of the most important ones to look out for.

Show an Entrepreneurial Mindset as a Kid

A lot of kids don’t know what they want to be when they grow up, but most leaders will show signs of an entrepreneurial mindset from a young age.

“Whether it is starting a lemonade stand in the neighborhood, or selling chocolate bars door to door, entrepreneurs usually show interest in making money at an early age.” – Cameron Herold

Something as seemingly simple as opening up a lemonade stand takes natural leadership to get it going well.

Display True Empathy 

Empathy is one of the most important traits of a good leader. When you’re able to understand other people’s feelings you are better equipped to deal with problems throughout the workplace.

“Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. This is incredibly important in any workplace environment and helps you to manage conflict and relationships. However, it’s become even more important as businesses compete to better understand the needs of their customers.” – Inc

Empathy is a trait that provides a leader with the ability to know what their employees want and need. A good leader uses this to help the company function smoothly.

Are Risk-Takers, Not Risk-Seekers

A good leader will take calculated risks, but they won’t seek them out when they don’t have to.

“Entrepreneurs have long been associated with being big risk-takers — throwing caution to the wind in pursuit of wealth, or rolling the dice against the odds. The truth is that most entrepreneurs are more comfortable with risk than most people, but that doesn’t make them risk-seekers. They’re optimists and realists who are willing to face risk and mitigate it. It’s what they do.” – Entrepreneur

Risk comes with the territory of being a good leader. Knowing that sometimes risks don’t work out, but not letting that stop them or their team, is what good leaders recognize. They remain optimistic in the face of risk, which sets an example and builds confidence in the people around them.

Have a Vision for the Future

A good leader knows, in detail, where they’re going from the beginning, such as with a Vivid Vision. They must be confident with this vision and share it with the team so that everyone is on the same page.

“Exceptional leaders have the ability to look into their company’s future and make clear, concrete goals that will benefit their organization. They are confident and optimistic, inspiring enthusiasm in those around them.” – Forbes

A good leader has a plan but is also ready to face challenges that come up along the way. They know that things are always changing and things that worked out in the past might not work this time, but that doesn’t stop them.

Being a good leader takes many traits, some common and some you might not even have considered. The lesser-known ones might be traits you have without realizing it, or they might be something you have to work on. Either way, they’re all vital traits to make a good leader.

If you have questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to help. Please leave a comment below and my team will get in touch with you.

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Cameron Herold grew up in a small town in Northern Canada. When his father, an entrepreneur, figured out that Cameron wasn’t going to fit into what they were teaching in school—because of his severe ADD—he taught him to hate working traditional ‘jobs’ and to love creating companies that employed others.

By 18, Cameron already had 14 different little businesses and he knew he loved money, entrepreneuring and business. And by 20 years old, he owned a franchise business painting houses and had twelve employees. He spent his twenties and early 30’s heading up 3 large businesses and coaching over 120 entrepreneurs. He was also the COO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, and during his 6.5 years he took the company from 2 million to 106 million. 

Knowing that every CEO needs a strong COO then led Cameron to start the COO Alliance in 2016. He noticed that there were no peer groups for one of the most crucial roles in the company—the Chief Operating Officer/2nd in command.