What Makes a Great Leader?

Source: Journal of Accountancy

Consultant Allan Koltin talked with CEOs of large CPA firms and other luminaries in the accounting profession to identify characteristics of great leaders. Based on these discussions, Koltin came up with the following “10 C's of great leaders”:

Competitive spirit. Great leaders want not only to win, but also to win the right way – with integrity.

Clutter. Great leaders don't let their focus get derailed with administrative tasks. Rather, they set their sights on the vision and fiercely lead toward it.

Cohesiveness. Great leaders garner support and bring unity to those they are leading, not through power, but through influence. They understand which partners will need more convincing than others in order to “get on board” with the vision.

Candidness. Great leaders can respectfully confront a team member about his or her need to make improvements and changes.

Crystal-clear vision. A great leader's own commitment to the vision inspires the team to be committed as well.

Curious. Great leaders are continuously learning and improving their leadership skills.

Contagious enthusiasm. Great leaders can turn negative energy into positive.

Crazy. Great leaders don't just follow the path laid out for them. They have their own ideas about how to reach the vision and convince others to join in.

Change agent. Great leaders help their team members identify where they currently are, where they need to be, and what they are capable of achieving.

Communication. Great leaders understand how to communicate to not only their team members, but also to clients, referral sources, and other leaders in the community.

For the complete article, read “The leadership cycle: The 10 C's of great leaders.”

From Journal of Accountancy, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, June 2013, http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/Issues/2013/Jun.