The Four Essential Elements of Leadership

Posted on by Byron Darden
At the center of every effective leader are the core essentials that serve as the north star illuminating the path toward a realized vision.

Some leaders have a natural ability to connect with others. When they enter a room, their presence is immediately felt. They can move large groups to a common goal. They can expand their effectiveness across an organization. This is done through:

  • Leadership Style
  • Leadership Skills/Behaviors
  • Leadership Character
  • Leadership Acumen

Does this mean you cannot develop this desired presence in the event you were not born with innate leadership abilities? Not at all. Although it will take dedication. You can examine, adopt and apply the four elements of leadership and develop your emotional intelligence, social skills, interpersonal communications, and scope of knowledge within your industry.

Each of the elements are equally important in your development.

When you Develop:This leads to the following:
Leadership StyleApproach/Discovery
Leadership Skills/BehaviorsPerformance/Development
Leadership CharacterDelivery/Deployment
Leadership AcumenIndustry Knowledge/Business Sense

Let’s take a look at each of these essential elements:

  • Leadership Style is unique to each individual. It speaks to how you lead and how flexible you are in a given situation. Leadership styles can vary daily and depend on what person or group with whom you’re engaged. While you can try to emulate another leader’s style, you will garner the most success by developing your own style.
  • Leadership Skills and Behaviors are how you show up physically and vocally. How effective you are and how you wish to be viewed are carefully thought out ahead of time. This could involve your tone of voice and how you dress.
  • Leadership Character portrays how you wish to be perceived by your clients or colleagues. It’s a component of a leader’s personal brand. For example, are you honest, aggressive, bold, or approachable? Which will inspire confidence in your abilities and allow you to relate effectively?
  • Leadership Ability is based on what you know. It might be based on your formal or informal education, training, experience in the field, certifications, or the amount of ongoing development on which you choose to embark. Faking it until you make it will only go so far – you’ll want to know your stuff.