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- The Skills That Separate Great Leaders
Leadership is about just one skill. It’s a collection of skills that are required to effectively lead. However, there are certain attributes that quietly separate the great leader from the good one.
They don’t always show up in performance reviews or job descriptions, but they shape everything. How your team feels, how they perform, and whether they want to keep following you.
If you care about leadership skills, this week is for you.
Let’s get after it.
I. “The single greatest skill you can develop is the ability to stay in a good mood in the absence of things to be in a good mood about.”
What it means:
Most people let their mood follow their circumstances. If things are going well, they’re upbeat. If things aren’t, they get negative, reactive, or disappear altogether. The best leaders do the opposite. They choose their attitude regardless of how things are going.
This isn’t about fake smiles or toxic positivity. It’s about steadiness. It’s the ability to bring consistent energy to your team even when things aren’t breaking your way. When you do that, people lean in. They respond. Because they trust how you show up, no matter what.
II. Complexity kills clarity.
What it means:
The more complicated you make things, the harder it is for your team to execute. When people don’t understand, they hesitate. When they’re clear, they move. That’s why your job isn’t to sound smart, it’s to simplify.
Great leaders take confusion and reduce it down to what really matters. They repeat themselves more than they want to. They remove unnecessary steps and they keep the message consistent until the team doesn’t just understand it, they act on it.
III. Employees go where they are celebrated, not where they are tolerated.
What it means:
People want to be seen. When their effort, progress, or character goes unnoticed, they start to wonder if it even matters. Over time, they either disengage or leave. Not because they didn’t care, but because they didn’t feel celebrated.
Recognition doesn’t have to be complicated, but it has to be authentic. Call out the right things when you see them. Celebrate progress, not just results. The best leaders don’t save appreciation for performance reviews. They build it into how they lead every day.
Use your gifts,
John Eades
CEO | LearnLoft | The Sales Infrastructure
P.S. Need a proven leadership development program for your managers?
Instead of hoping your new managers make the leap and lead their teams, show them how. Take advantage of the Accelerate Leadership Framework, virtually or in person, to provide the tools and templates to lead effectively. Learn More.
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The Optimistic Outlook (Newsletter)
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The Optimistic Outlook is now available wherever you listen to podcasts. Channel your inner John Eades and make your kids listen to it, then read it aloud to work on their minds and communication skills.
Use Your Strengths for Others (Video)
We enjoy speaking to groups that are passionate about leadership, coaching, and building stronger teams. Our keynotes and workshops help leaders elevate performance, strengthen culture, and turn good teams into exceptional ones. Some of our most popular keynotes and talks in the last month include:
The Leadership Lens - Perfect for a broad audience
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The Growth Formula - Perfect to inspire people to take ownership of their development.
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