What defines a good leader? Look for these six qualities

WHAT DEFINES A GOOD LEADER? LOOK FOR THESE SIX QUALITIES

Modern business challenges can require new approaches. Leadership will need to evolve in order to continue to guide organisations in tomorrow's world of work. But what are the characteristics of a good modern leader in the workplace - and how can organisations develop them? 

Many studies draw parallels between effective leadership and solid organisational performance. But whether they’re a junior manager or a senior executive, the qualities that leaders need are changing.
 
Nearly 1,500 HR professionals ranked leadership development as the number one priority for 2025, with managers feeling 'overwhelemed' by the expansion of their responsibilities. In today’s unpredictable world, you must combine traditional leadership skills with new abilities. So, what does an effective modern leader look like?
 

1. Remember what makes a good leader

Before looking at the new skills future leaders may need, it is worth reflecting on what a leader actually is.
 
What are the qualities of a good leader? It’s not what you may think.
 
Being in charge of colleagues does not necessarily make you a ‘leader’. Former Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg explains: “Leadership is about making others better as a result of your presence and making sure that impact lasts in your absence.”
 
Retired astronaut Chris Hadfield believes that good leadership is: “Not about glorious crowning acts. It’s about keeping your team focused on a goal and motivated to do their best to achieve it. Especially when the stakes are high and the consequences really matter.”
 
There may be varying opinions on the strengths and weaknesses of leaders. But overall, most people believe that great leaders motivate their team members to perform their best and achieve common goals.
 
What traits do you need to achieve this in the modern workplace?
 

2. Use blended leadership styles for a VUCA world 

Stacey Philpot from Deloitte Consulting maintains that the core skills needed historically in leadership roles have remained unchanged.
 
“These skills allow someone to become a leader faster than their peers. This is even true in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) environment,” she says.
 
The core skills for leading in a VUCA environment include:
 
  • Pattern recognition
  • Motivation
  • Agility
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Ability to understand, control and express emotions
 
This represents psychological assessments of 23,000 senior leaders globally over the past 25 years.
 
Consider introducing servant leadership:
 
Leaders need new styles of leadership to deal with changing cultures. Being comfortable with not having the answer and owning failure can create an environment of trust and openness.
 
Collectively, these behaviours form ‘servant leadership’. The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) defines servant leadership as emphasising behaviours and values such as:
 
  • Active listening
  • Empathy
  • Leading by example
 
These are instead of opting for a more authoritative, ‘command-and-control’ leadership style. Leaders create the conditions for team members to excel by displaying vulnerability. But given the stigma around servant leadership, how can organisations encourage it?
 
How to combat stigma surrounding servant leadership:
 
Alsu Polyakova, HR Leader for GE Healthcare, says reducing stigma around servant leadership will take a specific strategy. Most importantly frequent performance appraisals for leaders.
 
“We give leaders lots of opportunities for self-reflection, so they understand how they behave,” she says. GE Healthcare’s most successful leaders help to encourage behavioural change, Polyakova says. The company measures success by how well employees rate leaders on achieving GE Healthcare’s ‘cultural pillars’. These pillars include inspiring trust and empowering employees.
 

3. Create a culture of trust in the workplace

Gaining workers’ trust is more important than ever. One way to build trust is for leaders to take action on issues such as climate change. 71 percent of employees consider their CEOs’ social awareness as critically important, according to the Edelman Trust Barometer.
 
Social awareness may yield rich rewards. The Edelman poll shows that workers who trust their employers are far more engaged and remain more loyal than their more sceptical peers.
 
Leadership styles are clearly changing. The most effective leaders will need to tailor their styles to suit different scenarios, says Professor Sattar Bawany. “Leaders need a broad repertoire of management styles and the wisdom to know when each style should be used,” he says. “In crisis scenarios like cybersecurity breaches, for example, leadership should be authoritarian because the scenario is unstructured.”
 

4. Adapt your leadership style for different generations

Managers must also balance leadership styles to suit different generations. Modern workplaces will soon house up to five generations under one roof. Therefore, there will be many people with differing preferences on leadership style.
 
As of 2023, millennials are the biggest group in the UK workforce, at 35 percent. Modern leaders must mix old and new leadership styles that meet the needs of younger generations. Doing so will future proof organisations. However, new leadership approaches cannot come at the expense of alienating older workers.
 

5. Commit to lifelong learning

With the workplace evolving so rapidly, leaders cannot rely on past experience alone to get by. Ben Farmer, Head of HR at Amazon UK agrees: “Experience is not always synonymous with wisdom and judgement. And naivety doesn’t always engender novel thinking and openness to change.”
 
Organisations should look for leaders who understand the future as well as those with experience. “Success comes from the ability to combine understanding of exciting, new trends with the experience required to put that knowledge into action,” says Farmer.
 
But what is the right balance? There is no one-size-fits-all approach when balancing experience with adaptability. Achieving the right balance will mostly depend on the organisation and the sector it operates in.
 

6. Be conscious of culture

Organisational culture is an important factor. Risk-averse firms may prefer experience over novel thinking. Leaders may be fearful of a backlash from stakeholders should novel thinking fail. To lower risk, companies should seek leaders who use both scientific evidence and intuition when making decisions.
 
Ultimately, there’s no single blueprint for an effective modern leader. Each organisation must tailor their approach to leadership development. There must be a focus on organisational culture, industry nuances and employee mix.
 
But above all, leaders should recognise that today’s reality may be old news tomorrow.
 
 

For more expert advice, take a look at the following articles: 

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HOW TO TAILOR YOUR EMPLOYEE VALUE PROPOSITION TO A NEW GENERATION

The importance of EVP and the new generation of employees

Your company's EVP can have a huge impact on how well you attract new talent. But what does EVP stand for? Your employee value proposition is an important indicator of your company culture. And, in recent years, the focus on how businesses approach their employer value proposition has seen a dramatic shift.

Previously, an employee value proposition would only need to focus on salary, bonuses and benefits. 

We are now in a new era where workers want and expect different things. For example, an individual looking for their next challenge may have fewer location-specific decisions to make. However, this candidate may focus on training and development, sustainability and diversity commitments, or whether the company embraces hybrid and remote working.
 
You need to show the special qualities and goals of your company to attract employees from a new generation.
 

What is the meaning of EVP for your business? 

An EVP (employee value proposition) means the value a business provides to its employees in return for their skills. Examples of EVP includes:
 
  • Pay – basic salary as well as any bonus schemes or rewards.
  • Benefits – such as an enhanced pension policy or maternity/paternity polices.
  • Perks – including travel discounts for those who commute or financial support to help set up home offices.
  • Career development - opportunities to progress and upskill within your organisation. 
  • Corporate responsibility – a clear commitment to the communities in which the organisation operates, as well as wellbeing initiatives to support staff.
 
Any benefits included in an employee value proposition can be financial or non-financial. An effective EVP will boost employee engagement, enhance business culture and your employer brand.
 

What do the next generation of employees believe, want and expect? 

Prioritising the company's mission and purpose

Workers are bringing a different set of expectations and behaviours to their search for a new role. An increasing number of individuals are looking for a company that is ‘purpose driven’.
 
A company’s ‘purpose’ is the idea of what the company is, why it exists and what it stands for. This purpose drives all decisions and actions. There is a growing expectation that organisations should make a positive contribution to local and international communities.
 
A purpose can include mental health and wellbeing, sustainability and the environment, or something else. Companies need to express their purpose within a strong employee value proposition.
 

Appreciating your employees 

A rising number of individuals are now more aware of the value they add to organisations. Our What Workers Want report shows a growing confidence among workers in their own skills, capabilities and experiences.
 
There has been a notable shift in mindset among the next generation. Gen Z workers are looking to gather experience. This new generation is confident in identifying how a role will provide them with certain skills.
 

Demonstrating career progression

Gen Z are aware that the fastest way to progress their career is to move to a new organisation. This cohort realises this is often more effective than waiting for a promotion.
 
In turn, a company’s workforce will become more transient unless they are successful at retaining workers. Having a strong EVP that remains consistent throughout the employee lifecycle will aid retention and decrease annual employee turnover.
 

Catering for hybrid or flexible working styles 

The report also reveals the added importance workers place on whether a company offers flexible working. The employee surveys told us 61 percent consider flexibility important. 76 percent of team members also expect wellbeing support from an employer.
 
A new generation of workers is entering the market. It is essential that your company stands out from the competition when looking to engage new hires. Fail to differentiate yourself from the crowd and you will not attract the best candidates.
 

Tailoring your EVP to the next generation of employees 

To stand out from the competition, tailor your EVP to the candidate or group of candidates. You don’t need to create multiple versions. Simply recognise there are foundations to your EVP. Make sure you can adapt those foundations to appeal to each group of candidates.

  • Hybrid working: Most employees, if given the option, prefer a hybrid working set up. Therefore, it will be important to include provision for hybrid or flexible working options.
  • Career development: Workers are no longer solely motivated by pay and reward. The youngest generation in particular want to understand the ‘why’ more than the ‘what’ and the ‘how’. Tailor your EVP to focus on the true benefits of a role for the worker. Discuss how Gen Z can advance their career at the company, develop their skills and work on projects they can be proud of.
  • Exciting projects: If your company needs to hire niche talent in particular, focus on the broader picture. Get candidates excited about the work they will undertake and the value they will add to your organisation.

 

However, an individual will prioritise different parts of the EVP depending on where they are in their career. Companies should know the type of candidate they want to attract and understand what will appeal to them at this stage in their career.

How to deliver your EVP to potential candidates with 'moments that matter' 

If you want to have an impact on potential hires, consider the 'moments that matter'. 
 

Research motivating factors for your ideal employees 

First impressions really are as important as everyone says, so make sure you do your research. Tailor your EVP according to the interests and motivations of your target audience. If first impressions are positive in their eyes, this is half the battle.
 

Engage actively on social media

A targeted EVP is just one piece of the puzzle when building a positive first impression. You will also need to ensure you are showcasing your EVP by adding relevant content to social media platforms. This way you will be more likely to attract your target audience when searching for their next role. By using relevant platforms you can assert the credibility of your commitment to your employees.
 
Increasingly, this means operating in largely online environments. Review your digital estate for talent attraction and ensure that your EVP is well-presented. Otherwise you are less likely to convert passive interest into an active application.
 
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Case Study: EVP in action

Hays was given the task of engaging candidates across Europe for a Fortune 500 company. We began by tailoring engagement campaigns to the candidate based on their location, skills and interests.
 
The next step was publishing localised content across multiple mediums in line with candidate expectations. Creating microsites meant we were able to target early in career talent. We were also delivering job previews by video so candidates could gain an insight into what the job would be like.
 
These campaigns were hugely successful, offering individuals the opportunity to research roles using channels they trusted. The use of video gave us valuable insight into the role and organisation from an existing employee’s perspective.
 

Remember that the hiring process is a two-way conversation 

The hiring process is for candidates to assess if the company and the role are a good fit for them. This process is also for employers to assess whether the candidate is a good match for the role. Companies that lose sight of this as a two-way process will be at a distinct disadvantage.
 

Represent your company culture during interviews

Train hiring managers to act as brand ambassadors. Make sure they reinforce the culture and values of the company in a consistent way.
 
A great employee value proposition will reflect your company’s culture and values. Your company culture and values should be evident at every candidate touchpoint in the hiring process. Authenticity is key to keeping a candidate engaged.
 
If you take time to understand and then engage with candidates in the right way, your EVP and hiring process will be more successful.
 

Don't become complacent in a competitive market 

Competition for good talent is fierce, so keep close to your potential hires. Do not underestimate the number of offers and counter offers they may receive from other companies. Stay connected throughout the hiring process to make sure you deliver a good experience in support of your EVP.
 
For example, follow up with each candidate within 24 hours of an interview and respond quickly to queries. Most importantly, remember to deliver on any commitments you make to updates or next steps.
 
A psychological contract with a new hire takes time to build. Any negative experiences can be indicative of what you will be like as an employer.
 

Never stop fine-tuning your EVP

The ultimate test for your EVP is whether new hires recognise these values during their time at the company. Establishing feedback loops is a simple but effective way of validating whether the EVP aligns with the experience.
 
Check in with new hires and existing employees every three to six months. Use this time to get feedback on how their experience matches your EVP. If not already in place, then a new joiner survey is an excellent way of capturing the feedback on a range of topics.
 
Actively seek feedback from all sources to contextualise how well your EVP is meeting current employee needs too. Employees will regularly share their views externally, impacting your new hires’ views on the company. If an employee decides to leave, carry out an exit interview. Exit interviews are excellent opportunities to establish whether the EVP meets the employee experience.
 
If the feedback loops indicate that there is room for improvement, take the opportunity to review your EVP. You can positively impact talent acquisition in the future and ensure a real focus on talent retention. As a colleague of mine often quotes, “filling the bath is a lot easier with the plug in.”
 

Monitoring the EVP moments that matter

It is essential that companies recognise the important role the EVP will play in attracting, engaging and retaining workers. Working with a partner like Enterprise Solutions at Hays ensures you are always up to date on candidate expectations. This approach will enable you to identify the shifts that require a more serious review of your EVP.
 
Once you attract the right talent, it is important leaders keep employees energised and motivated to drive business performance.
 

Find more advice on attracting a new generation of workers: 

 

AUTHOR

Jon Mannall
EMEA Managing Director, Enterprise Solutions at Hays

Jonathan is the EMEA Managing Director for Enterprise Solutions at Hays. Previous roles held at Hays included Service Delivery Director, Head of Sales for the UK and Global Head of Sales, Solutions and Innovation. He is now responsible for leading our teams across 11 countries in EMEA and evolving our approach to engaging, delivering and developing our strategic client relationships across the region.
 
Prior to joining Hays, and after completing his Masters in Philosophy and Management, Jon worked in the RPO and MSP sector for 10 years with a range of Financial Services, Public Sector, IT & Telecommunications, and Insurance clients in Sales and Operations Director roles.