What are the top five things you admire most about your leadership hero?

In front of every audience I speak to I have an audience participation portion. With each group, whether it is a group of 15 or 1,500 I ask them to think about their favorite leader in history, in the movies or for whom they have worked. Then I ask them this question:

What are the top five things you admire most about your leadership hero?  

If you are reading this blog, scribble down your own answers now before you read further….

1. ________  2.  _________  3.  _________ 4.  ________  5.  ________

The answers with a live audience usually come fast and furious. I usually scribble the answers on a flip chart or white board. Here is an example from my most recent group:

Engaged, Passionate, Optimistic, Open, Respects others, trusts, builds trust, work ethic, determined, honest, leads by example, empowers others, unafraid, decisive.

The Bottom Line:

Look at the two lists. Your list and the list from my last class. What do they show us?

You follow and my class participants follow character.

No matter how many people I ask, no matter where in the business world I am, when people list what they admire most in great leaders, they describe character traits.  The lists are almost always 80-90% character traits with the rest being competencies.

Read about deveveloping character by clicking on the following title:

Four Steps To Becoming A Leader of Character

Character is why people follow leaders more than competence.  Character is why people at work and the people at home will follow you.

Please do me a favor and list your top five in the comments section below.  I want to collect these answers for future analysis.

Question:  

What are the top five things you admire most about your leadership hero?