Leaders Rise Above the Crowd

Lenora Gant, a federal executive turned Trinity College scholar, says "forecast" is a trait that government leaders can't live without. By forecast, she means the ability to look at data and trends and then take measures to address the challenges that information presents. It "is an admirable trait, especially now, because changes are constant in organizations," Gant says.

Stephanie Sieradzki, a federal management consultant, says the ability to get along with almost anyone is a key trait for leaders. "I find that this motivates people to work hard to support your causes," Sieradzki says. "This is achieved mostly by accepting that there is value to everyone who works for you, and it's your job as the leader to find that value and make the most of it."

In an informal Government Executive survey, a score of federal managers and consultants identified the leadership traits they consider most important. In addition to forecast and amiability, the characteristics managers valued most were the ability to recognize employees' talents, the know-how to make teams work and an open mind. Many of the admired traits focused on awareness-a leader's ability to recognize the environment they are operating in, to listen to the people who work for them and to steer their organizations accordingly. Trust, respect, selflessness, optimism and patience made people's lists as well.

A 30-year manager at the Social Security Administration suggested that, in government, having a sense of humor is key. "I'm sure others might rightly argue [for] charisma, integrity, competence or intelligence," he says. "In my almost 30 years of experience, more than anything else, I really enjoy working for someone who can laugh and make me laugh. And in the world of the bureaucracies we operate within, sometimes laughter is the only reasonable course of action."

The most lauded traits for government leaders, though, were honesty and integrity. Honesty has a perfectly straightforward definition, but what does integrity mean?

The American Heritage Dictionary suggests three definitions:

• "Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code." Daily crises, political decisions from above and outside pressure can make it tough for managers to hold on to their morals and ethics.
• "The state of being unimpaired; soundness." Making bad decisions can taint a leader's integrity.
• "The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness." One of the riskiest management pitfalls is maintaining integrity in some situations while letting it go in others.

By definition, it isn't possible to choose when to exercise integrity. Once a leader compromises his or her integrity, it is lost. That is perhaps the reason integrity is considered the most admirable trait. And the reason one manager said leaders have to keep it "above all else."