Are You the Leader Your Team Wants?

Your direct reports value Teamwork and Relationships – which, in turn, drives their performance. 

This challenge and question have been sitting with me since reading Hogan Assessments "The Leadership Divide" report.

The report highlights a gap many leaders feel but may not align with what your team wants or needs: the traits that help you rise are not always the same traits that help your team thrive.

You may be rewarded for confidence, ambition, influence, visibility, and the ability to inspire. Those matter.

But your team likely wants something deeper: 

• clear communication

• sound decision-making

• accountability

• integrity

• trust

That distinction matters.

Because leadership is not just about delivering results. It is about creating the conditions where people can do their best work.

As Hogan states, “Effective leadership in the modern workplace is not just defined by profits and achievements, but by the behaviors and values that inspire people to contribute their best.”

This is where executive coaching creates real impact. The coaching work you do can help you understand how your behaviors land with others, especially under pressure.

• Are you creating clarity or confusion?

• Are you building trust or unintentionally creating distance?

• Are you inviting honest conversation or rewarding silence?

Also, I strongly recommend that my clients complete a Hogan Assessment which offers a comprehensive, objective view of your leadership strengths, blind sides, and values/motives. This assessment helps pinpoint areas to strengthen your people leadership skills, e.g., Team Work, Relationship Building. 

Keep in mind, people-first leadership is not soft. It is a performance strategy.

Here’s my powerful question for leaders this week:
What is one behavior you can shift this week to become the leader your team wants to follow?