I am a female Middle Eastern Kurd. As a child, I felt invisible and voiceless. I came to the U.S. at the age of six and I made sure that as an adult I not only engaged in important work, but had a voice in issues that mattered.
I’m now an established physician and researcher. When I’m not serving as a clinician seeing patients, I’m serving as a researcher committed to science and inquiry. In both the context of medical practices and society at large, I’ve studied the skills needed to be a successful leader. In particular, as a founder of an organization transitions to become an effective CEO, I’ve found the following three components for leadership success to be essential:
1. Positivity
Being positive in one’s life comes from maintaining an optimistic perspective. Positivity enhances confidence and flexibility. It allows a leader to approach and view every situation as a learning opportunity. With such an approach, any challenging situation allows them to gain knowledge, and hence become a stronger leader.
Being positive not only benefits the leader and company, but benefits employees. A positive leader creates an air of enthusiasm and openness and elevates morale within the company. Their positivity motivates and inspire others. People feel privileged and excited to be part of a positive leader’s team.
Positivity allows for resilience and gives them the ability to endure difficulties and “bounce back.” It empowers a leader to view everything from the eyes of a warrior and not a victim. Being resilient is especially important for successful leadership as it involves being flexible, resourceful, and diligent. A successful leader applies positivity when developing organizational skills and when delegating to team members to heighten collaboration.
A positive leader also incorporates humor into their everyday work. Injecting humor in the workplace doesn’t mean they don’t take their position seriously, but that they view their position, the organization, and its mission through a wider lens — they’re able to take an emotional “step back.” Humor infuses levity into a situation and allows both workers and leaders to better connect. As Maya Angelou once said, “Don’t trust people who don’t laugh.” Leaders should have a sense of humor about themselves and not take themselves too seriously. Humor will lighten the mood and put everyone more at ease.
2. Humility
Referring to humility, C.S. Lewis once said, “It’s not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” Humble people lack pride and de-emphasize ego. They have depth of character and don’t concern themselves with comparing themselves to others. In fact, they tend to forego ego for the greater good.
Having humility is especially important for effective leadership. A writer for The Economist once wrote, “If leadership has a secret sauce, it may well be humility. A humble leader understands there are things he or she doesn’t know. They listen.” The willingness of such leaders to listen to employees’ ideas and perspectives magnifies their success as they understand that employees often have better perceptions of consumers’ needs and priorities.
3. Creativity
A creative leader looks at scenarios from new and different perspectives. They imagine and think without bias, boundaries, or judgment. This ability is tantamount to effective leadership. Leaders who are creative have big dreams and a vision for moving the organization forward. They are better able to problem-solve and lead their company on a path of greatness.
Creativity also translates into curiosity and an ability to “think outside the box.” A creative leader asks questions, explores solutions, and invites diverse perspectives that will help move their company forward.
Effective leadership is an art. As founders move to adopt the strategic skills needed to serve in their broader role of CEO, these three essential qualities represent key leadership traits. Incorporating them will allow a transitioning founder to master the art of leadership from a CEO mindset, and enable the company to realize its full potential.
