Exceptional Leadership is the driving force, the engine, the power, behind all successful ventures. This is true in all aspects of life, not only in business.

Without a strong, effective and purpose-driven leader creating the vision and driving the business, nothing much happens.

The leadership of any organization establishes the purpose, the vision, culture and attitudes of the organization. The leadership team determines how the company conducts business and services its clients or customers.

Here is a simple yet powerful definition of an exceptional leader:

A leader is a purpose-driven individual who inspires others
to be the very best they can be while accomplishing worthy goals and purposes.

All great leaders throughout history - be they heads of empires or nations, religious leaders, revolutionaries, business leaders, discoverers - have been able to cause, inspire, and motivate other people to follow them toward a given purpose and goal, and grow and develop people as well.

How does one become an exceptional leader so as to inspire and motivate people to follow and work toward the leader’s goals and purposes? Here are the core and fundamental qualities of an exceptional leader.

1. A STRONG, CLEAR PURPOSE AND VISION

Purpose is perhaps the most powerful force in the universe. Throughout history, people have accomplished amazing things and created fantastic results through the sheer power of purpose and purpose alone. Every major advancement in society, every advance in every civilization, every discovery, every revolution, every great religious or political movement, every invention and technological advancement, all philosophies are the result of one thing and one thing only - the purposes of individuals.

People respond positively to a constructive, strong and worthwhile purpose that improves other people's quality of life in some way.

2. HIGH INTEGRITY

Integrity is defined as the state of being whole and undivided; the condition of being unified, unimpaired, or sound; lacking corruption; the quality of being honest and ethical. A true leader has high integrity, and stays true to his or her purpose.

A true leader interacts with other people with high integrity and truthfulness, and doesn't play games with his or her people. Exceptional leaders always strive to do the right thing in all situations and circumstances. Integrity includes such core values as high ethics, high standards, fairness and doing the best for customers or clients.

High Integrity also means being able to make the necessary and possibly hard decisions that are best for the entire group.

3. COURAGE AND PERSISTENCE

It takes courage to be an effective leader. Life, society, competition, other people’s intentions, government policies all combine to present a formidable set of barriers to accomplishing one’s goals and purposes. There are plenty of barriers that get in the way of accomplishing goals, and it takes courage to face these barriers and overcome them. It takes persistence toward a purpose and goal, a never-give-up attitude, a willingness to keep moving forward no matter what barriers are in the way and how many setbacks an individual or group has had. In addition, a true leader isn't concerned about what other people think of him or her. The exceptional leader focuses on achieving the purpose.

4. GENUINE EXPERTISE AND HIGH COMPETENCE

A leader who is a true expert in his or her field, and who demonstrates high competence and knowledge, is respected and admired for that one quality alone. Knowing all about a profession or field gives a leader a certain elevation and stature with his or her people. Even more important, a leader must be competent as a leader and executive, demonstrating skill, expertise and sound judgment in leading his or her people and organization positively and successfully.

People will usually follow a true expert just because he or she is so competent as an executive and communicator.

5. ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE WELL

A leader who communicates the goals and purposes clearly and completely will motivate and inspire his or her people to work toward those same goals and purposes. Leaders learn how to communicate in such a way that their people fully understand the goals and the plans to achieve those goals, understand how their jobs contribute to those purposes and goals, and understand what is expected of them.

Exceptional leaders also make sure their people are fully acknowledged and given credit for their help, contributions and successes.

6. GENUINE CARE AND UNDERSTANDING FOR THEIR PEOPLE

Exceptional leaders genuinely care about their people and their people’s well-being. Exceptional leaders communicate with their people so as to learn and understand their points of view, their realities, any situation or struggles they face, their strengths and weaknesses - but only to help their people, never to use those things against them. Great leaders work to understand their people for positive and constructive reasons, and then work to guide them in the right direction, guide them through any difficulties, and help them grow and develop.

Understanding others does not mean the leader tolerates negative or counter-productive behavior or actions, or alters course toward the purpose - leaders never lose sight of the purpose. Good leaders do not tolerate counter-productive or detrimental behavior, as they know this hurts everyone in the group.

Understanding others allows leaders to provide genuine help, guidance and direction to their people as needed. The best leaders consider people part of their family.

7. WILLINGNESS TO MAKE THE HARD YET CORRECT DECISIONS FOR THE GOOD OF THE GROUP

An unwillingness to make hard but necessary decisions causes the entire group to suffer. An executive who cannot take the right action for fear that he or she will be thought less of by others, is a weak and failing executive. The exceptional leader does not try to please everyone. Trying to please everyone is a sure road to failure. Instead, the effective leader works for the good of the entire organization as this in turn will generate the most success, job satisfaction, and professional rewards for his or her people.

Hard decisions include weeding out of the organization any negative, detrimental or counter-productive people who harm or hold back the organization in any way.

8. EMPOWERING PEOPLE BY INVITING AND ENCOURAGING THEIR IDEAS, IMAGINATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS

Most people (70-80%) are good, constructive and caring, and want to do a good job. Good people respond well to the truth, they respond well to positive direction and coordination. Such people respond especially well to requests and invitations to help and contribute. What is most remarkable about good people is how well they rise to any occasion, if they are simply asked and encouraged to do so. Exceptional leaders invite and inspire their people to come up with good ideas and develop better ways of doing things. Good people are an organization’s greatest asset, so why not empower them to be the best they can be?

Exceptional leaders provide an atmosphere of creativity and challenge that brings out the very best in people. Exceptional leaders make sure all people in the group receive any needed training and knowledge.

Any organization is infinitely stronger and more prosperous if everyone in the organization can contribute their ideas, observations, and solutions to the group.

9. INSISTENCE ON AND DEMANDING THE VERY BEST AND HIGHEST STANDARDS FROM PEOPLE

An exceptional leader is the perfect blend of love and caring for his or her people, while also demanding that they be the best they can be and produce at a high quality level. After all, the whole point of being a leader is to achieve some goal and purpose, to actually get things done, to accomplish something, to create a desired end result. It’s a tough world out there, and will eat a weak individual or organization. In order to accomplish one’s goals and purposes, the exceptional leader insists that his or her people be competent and produce excellent end results.

The exceptional leader demands that a high standard be set and followed.

But none of this is done harshly, or with arrogance, or by bullying, or by yelling or degrading others, or by being mean and nasty, or pitting people against each other, or any other negative element. Insistence on and demanding the very best and a high standard are done with all the other qualities given here - and in a very positive, inspiring, encouraging, understanding, and patient manner and attitude.

10. THE OPTIMUM BALANCE OF FLEXIBILITY AND DECISIVENESS

The exceptional leader is flexible and secure enough to invite the help, cooperation, contributions, and ideas of his or her people, and then implement these as appropriate. Most people are good, constructive and capable, and most people want to do a good job. It takes some courage and confidence to allow one’s people to contribute their ideas, imaginations, abilities and judgment, and to give people enough discretion and latitude to grow and help the business grow.

At the same time, an effective leader is also decisive. A good leader makes decisions after he or she has briefed the team and gotten all their observations and ideas, and has analyzed and evaluated the situation and ideas. Once the leader is certain as to the correct course of action, he or she makes that decision and carries it out. Exceptional leaders don’t allow themselves to be negatively influenced or distracted off course. They can always change course if the situation changes or if they get new and relevant information that demands a change in plans.

But a leader ultimately must make decisions and carry them out to their desired end results. In this way, the exceptional leader is the perfect blend of flexibility and decisiveness.

11. GIVE POSITIVE DIRECTION AND COORDINATION

A good leader issues only positive direction and policies, all leading toward the goals and purposes, and which do the most to keep people focused on reaching the intended goals and purposes. The exceptional leader coordinates people and resources in the most efficient and productive manner possible. Exceptional leaders never lose their cool. They never belittle, demean or in any other way bring down any member of their team. Good leaders are never harsh, loud, arrogant, threatening, sarcastic or any other negative attitude or emotion. Directives are issued with positiveness, with confidence, with understanding, with a positive attitude and with patience.