Leadership Traits: What Do People Actually Notice?
Photo credit: Unsplash
Author: Kate Butcher
If Someone Observed Your Leadership for a Day, What Would They Notice?
Leaders show up in all sorts of ways. Sometimes charismatic, dynamic and commanding at the front of the room. Others are gentle, introspective and steady, right next to you when you need them.
Sometimes it’s stopping and naming the hard thing surfacing in the conversation. Other times, it is showing up, holding the space with consistency and care, and really listening to what is being said.
Recently, we asked some of our own coaches and facilitators: If someone observed you leading for a day, what would they notice about you right away? Here’s HLG’s coach, Kate Butcher’s, reflection.
Kate’s Reflection
“If someone observed me leading for a day, they’d probably notice my energy and humor. I move a lot. Movement helps me think. Some people love it, some don’t, but it’s how I come alive.
At the same time, I know how to slow down, pause, make eye contact and help a room settle. I notice what’s happening around me: who’s quiet, who’s on the edge, who’s fidgeting, who’s distracted.
I hope people see that I care because I notice and ask. Structure, outcomes and agendas matter to me, but so do laughter, chatting, and naming the elephant in the room when things get tense.
It takes energy to point out what no one else will say, but I think people appreciate that I can do it. I’m learning to say the hard things in service of others, even if it isn’t always easy.
Some might see me as stiff or overly formal, but that’s not me. I’m soft, a bit wonky, caring and funny inside.
I grew up left-brain, organized, determined, competitive. That’s what got me here. But now, at this stage in life, I also enjoy and appreciate different approaches and working with various styles.
I’ve always said my superpower is to help people see different perspectives beyond their own. To widen their view, open their eyes to new perspectives and possibilities.
That’s the kind of leadership I hope people notice in me.”
Leadership Traits That Transform Relationships and Situations
From Kate’s reflection, and from what other coaches and facilitators shared about their own styles, a set of core leadership traits comes into focus:
Candor – creating trust with honesty while reflecting people’s natural goodness back to them.
Energy – bringing vitality, movement, and lightness to a difficult conversation.
Presence – an outward attentiveness and inward way of being - slowing down, reading the room, and noticing what others might miss.
Humility – naming what’s real, saying the hard thing, or admitting when you don’t know.
Focus – structures, agendas, desired outcomes, or intentions that keep things organized and clear.
Care – listening deeply with genuine curiosity and empathy.
Leadership shows up in many forms. What unites them is the way leaders make others feel.
Your Turn: A Leadership Challenge
If someone observed you leading for a day, what would they notice? How might you invite feedback from those around you to see yourself more clearly?
What People Remember about Leaders
Presence matters more than position. People notice how you show up.
Leadership isn’t always loud. Quiet dependability and steadiness can be just as powerful as charisma and charm.
Your Honesty builds Trust. Sometimes admitting what you don’t know actually creates credibility.
There is no single winning leadership style. What unites good leaders is bringing clarity, empowering, and holding others to account through connection and relationship, while creating a vision and a sense of possibility as you move forward.
Looking for someone to help guide you on your leadership journey?
HLG helps leaders expand their impact through coaching, team development, and programs like our First Friday Webinar. If you’re curious about what others might notice in your leadership, connect with us to start the conversation.
