Qualities of a true leader

“The burden of a leader is to take accountability for things you cannot control.”

This powerful statement from Mark Darrah, former Project Director at BioWare, resonated with me deeply. While most employees would prefer a better boss to a pay raise, only a small fraction of organizations truly invest in developing effective leaders. 

In today’s complex business environment, leadership has never been more challenging – or more crucial. As organizations navigate an era of unprecedented change, success and failure increasingly hinge on leadership quality – particularly in technical domains where balancing human dynamics with technical excellence is critical. 

True leadership is not about authority but about service. After applying this principle across multiple development teams, I’ve witnessed firsthand how embodying these seven qualities transforms ordinary managers into exceptional leaders: 

1. Starting with Why – Great leaders communicate purpose before process. They clearly explain the “why” behind decisions, fostering genuine buy-in rather than forced compliance. 
2. Servant Leadership – Exceptional leaders serve their team, not the other way around. They remove obstacles, provide resources, and nurture growth while maintaining the principle that, as Simon Sinek said, “leaders eat last.” 
3. Infinite Game Mindset – True leaders recognize that team building isn’t about short-term wins but playing the long game. They prioritize sustainable excellence, willing to sacrifice immediate gains for future resilience. 
4. Antifragility Focus – Beyond building robust teams that merely endure stress, outstanding leaders cultivate teams that grow stronger through challenges by fostering knowledge sharing and distributed ownership. This concept of antifragility, taken from Nassim Nicholas Taleb, goes beyond the usual self-help and leadership toolbox.
5. Completion Urgency – Great leaders drive teams toward genuine completion, recognizing that “almost done” is simply not done. They implement appropriate strategies such as triage or the “pile of sand” approach, focusing their forces on the most crucial aspects of the task first.
6. Leading by Example – Actions consistently speak louder than words, demonstrating genuine leadership through what is done rather than what is said. Exceptional leaders embody the behaviours, work ethic, and values they expect from their team.
7. Balancing Structure with Autonomy – The best leaders provide frameworks and guidance, while empowering team members with agency and ownership over their work.