What Is Leadership?

Leadership can be defined as, “A process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.”

You Can Be A Leader Too!

What are leadership skills? It’s not about title, gender, or age when it comes to leadership. Not even the most popular person or the best communicator defines a true leader. Leaders are not made by a title change or promotion either. You can become a leader through your own actions.

“Attitude of Gratitude”: Treat your Employees Like They are Your Clients

My best friend’s father and I became friends as I got to know him during college and beyond. His go-to phrase was, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” He always said it in a way that you knew he meant it. He was an amazing man.

In his 30s he ran a major investment corporation on the west coast, and in his 40s he took over the family lumber business in Kansas City, which was the largest in the KC metro area and the only place to go before the dawn of Home Depot. The recession and housing crisis of the 80s killed his business and he lost everything but a little bit of land and real estate he owned.

I often asked this man about his life, what he had seen, and where he had been. He never so much as whispered a word of regret or despair for losing his wealth. He simply thanked the world for the opportunity to be alive and have the relationships he had. I knew him in his 50s and on into his 60s after he had essentially retired and became a humble candle-maker who enjoyed a round of golf and the close friends he made living on Charlotte Street in midtown Kansas City.

The story of his life, which ended much too early, is indeed a story unto itself which included close personal friendships with famous actors, musicians, and politicians. Through it all, his rise to the top, and his fall from riches, he maintained something authentic to him that any leader can employ: an “attitude of gratitude.”

Leadership Qualities that Our Clients Seek

The Executive Division at Aureus Group does a great deal of work in the retained search arena. We have helped companies fill high-priority executive-level roles within operations, finance, actuarial, lending, engineering, sales, and marketing in the past year. This work has spanned most industries as we have dedicated professionals who have their fingers on the pulse of different market segments including banking, investments, insurance, consumer goods, and manufacturing from sea to shining sea.

When we listen to companies talk about their needs from a leadership perspective, the functional requirements are never the same, but the leadership qualities that they desire are extremely consistent.

The Importance of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Development

There are undoubtedly many different factors that contribute toward someone developing into a great leader. In previous Aureus Group blog articles, we’ve addressed the importance of demonstrating effective communication skills when interacting with colleagues in the workplace. Well what about emotional intelligence? How does one’s emotional intelligence impact their ability to be a top performer in the professional world?