5 Traits of Highly Efficient and Effective Leaders

By Idit Levine

It starts at the top.

Today’s business leaders must navigate ever-changing conditions—economic uncertainty, geopolitical instability, and a lingering pandemic. Meanwhile, the same leaders are working to optimize business efficiency. 

Much has been written about business efficiency and how much, fast, and well a company can produce a product or service vs. the time, effort, and resources. Business efficiency can include ROI, process efficiency, and employee productivity. This calls for a different type of leadership and a new set of skills—skills that include confronting challenges, adapting to change, and leading with confidence. 

My career started in Israel, before my family moved to the U.S. and settled in Massachusetts. I was a software engineer at several startups and large technology companies which provided me with a wide range of experience and perspective. In my role as the CTO of the cloud management division of a leading tech company, I observed the tension between balancing a company’s transformation, and the effect it could have on its employees. This is when I chose to start my own company, using those experiences to build my own foundation for executing as an effective leader in today’s demanding business climate. Here are five takeaways:

DON’T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK UP

When I tell people that I have never hesitated or been afraid to speak up, I am usually met with a puzzled look. Part of this fearlessness ties back to my background. As mentioned above, I immigrated to the U.S. as an adult from Israel. We are known for our direct speaking style. As a result, I have never thought twice about speaking my mind or asking questions.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ask for help, or offer your perspective. Never apologize for saying what needs to be said—whether it be raising a concern about a product feature, discussing the company’s place in the market, or sharing your thoughts during a project post-mortem meeting. The startup world requires 100% commitment and ultimately, people will appreciate your candor—a broad range of perspectives and feedback is what drives innovation. As I have learned, people are happy to help and listen, and speaking up gets the right people engaged in the conversation.

LEAN INTO YOUR STRENGTHS; OWN YOUR WEAKNESSES

My grit and competitive spirit are my biggest strengths—and they have helped me build a billion-dollar organization with a wide range of products. If you recognize your strengths (and these can be a combination of technical and “soft” skills) and apply them to your vision (more on that in a moment), you will be one step ahead of most people.

Meanwhile, it is critical to identify and work on your weaknesses and any skills gaps you may have. Years ago, I was working as CTO for a large company when I was paired with a mentor. Over time, I realized I had mastered the technical skills of my job—but needed a bit of guidance on managing people. Some people told me I was too direct in my communications with them (and part of that could be attributed to my cultural background). To remedy this, I worked with my mentor and a coach to better communicate with my employees and peers. 

OUTLINE YOUR GOALS, DREAM BIG, AND WORK HARD

I had always aspired to run my own company. When I was at cloud firm DynamicOps in 2009, I noted all the different new and emerging use cases for the cloud. I cultivated a passion for all things cloud, and wanted to tap any and all potential cloud-related innovation. This is when I started to visualize what would later become Solo.io. Two jobs and five years later, I interviewed with Dell EMC (cloud data storage and virtualization products) and was clear from the get-go that my time there would be limited. I aimed to learn what I could for two years and then launch my own startup. I stuck to this timeline and launched Solo.io in 2017.

Map out your short-term and long-term vision for yourself (and any company you plan to launch). Do your homework and market research. Believe in your vision—and don’t be deterred.

KNOW HOW TO PLAN AND PIVOT EFFECTIVELY

To take your vision to the next level, you must master the art of the pivot. In today’s business landscape, it has become more important than ever for leaders to be nimble. Market conditions are constantly in flux, making it critical for leaders to shift strategies in real time, whether that means tweaking your product road map or altering larger company initiatives.

To help navigate the times, set the overall vision for the organization and then make both long- and short-term goals and objectives that ladder back to that. Make sure you check in on your goals on a regular basis to determine if you’re on track or if you need to shift gears. In unpredictable times, being able to make critical business decisions and implement new processes quickly is key to maintaining viability as an organization. 

Another important element? Sharing your vision and objectives with your employees to ensure they are all marching towards the same goal. And when you need to change course, communicate that with your team in a timely manner as well for maximum efficiency.  

LEAD WITH EMPATHY AND TRUST

At the end of the day, employees are your most important asset. Employees want to feel like they are understood and cared for. Also, age-old business adage: Hire good people and get out of their way. Trust your employees to do quality work.

Leaders who lack empathy create an environment that stifles innovation. Employees are afraid to speak up, ask questions, or challenge an assumption. These leaders also have a “my way or the highway” philosophy and are overly focused on process.

To lead with empathy, be specific with your praise. Here’s what that looks like: “John asked some difficult questions about the project—and I’m glad he did. His analytical eye helped us catch a tiny error early on that could have become a larger problem down the line. Meanwhile, Carrie helped keep the project on track from start to finish.” Empathy helps you create a culture of trust and innovation.  

In fact, a recent EY Consulting survey found 90% of U.S. workers believe empathetic leadership leads to higher job satisfaction and 79% agree it decreases employee turnover.