Throughout history, leaders have often been praised for their technical skills. However, the essence of good leadership is also revealed through social and moral dimensions. At an exciting Dining with Dinosaurs evening, Dr Ed Brooks, Executive Director of the Oxford Character Project, explored what leadership looks like in a world of complexity and uncertainty.
During his seminar, Dr Ed Brooks presented research findings from a project investigating how UK businesses understand “good leadership.” The research engaged over 1,100 professionals across 36 UK firms across finance, law and tech. Through a methodology called “prototype analysis”, they provided insights into how people understand the concept of good leadership, based on features that are typical or representative.
Participants identified over 80 features of good leadership, 52% of which related to character traits such as fairness, integrity and responsibility. A total of 35% of the features referred to interpersonal skills including being supportive and collaborative, and only 13% referred to professional competence such as being knowledgeable and experienced. When asked to rank these features according to what they considered to be most important for a good leader, one more character traits were the most prominent, representing 55% of the top 20 features.
But good leadership is not a one-size-fits all: valued features varied across sectors. In finance, for instance, risk awareness was considered the most important feature of good leadership, whereas in the tech sector being determined and strategic were considered most key. In law, being competent and professional ranked as most central. Despite these differences, results did not vary greatly across genders and leadership level, suggesting some degree of consistency in our ideas of good leadership.
What about the views of Reuben students and fellows? During the dinner, attendees were asked to identify what they considered to be the most important ingredients for good leadership. Their top five features? Crafting a good team culture, mastering the art of listening, being approachable, demonstrating creativity, and, last but not least, learning from one’s mistakes.
The take-away message: features of good leadership depends on the sector; yet, whether you’re crunching numbers or crafting legal arguments in the heart of the City, leadership requires some balance of three core components—character, competence, and interpersonal skills. But how do we cultivate leaders who not only excel in their technical roles but also exhibit strong character and interpersonal abilities? That’s what the Oxford Character Project is now finding out—and a good question for a future Reuben seminar.
