The VISIT Files #1: If We Know What Great Leaders Look Like, Why Are They So Hard to Find?

We’ve all seen those lists about what makes a great leader. They pop up on social media feeds, in presentation slide decks, on posters in offices.

Empathetic. Strategic. Visionary. Resilient. Curious. Empowering. Effective communicator. Trust-builder. Critical thinker.

We’ve likely seen the flipside, too—the traits of ineffective leaders: Micromanaging. Toxic. Resistant to change. Uncommunicative. Exclusive.

These lists are familiar. We nod in agreement. We swap stories. We recognize these qualities—both the admirable and the damaging—because we’ve lived and worked with them.

But here’s the question: If we can identify the qualities of great leaders so easily, why is it still so hard to find them?

Maybe because naming qualities is easy. Embodying them? Not so much.

These attributes are aspirational; they describe what we want to see in leaders, and what we hope to become ourselves. So, how do we earn those labels?

What if we shift the conversation?

Let’s talk about actions.
How do you learn to be strategic? How do you learn to empower others?

It’s about doing. Showing up in small, consistent ways; using routines, making choices, and practicing behaviors that, over time, become habits.

Because being a leader isn’t a label. It’s being in motion.

Drop a comment below and see you for the next VISIT!

#leadership #leadershipinaction #greatleaders