Have you ever spoken with someone in a leadership position and wondered to yourself, "Who taught this person their leadership skills?" I hit that point early on in my career.

The first time was several years ago when I worked as a call center rep. I was on a call with a customer, and I was unable to answer his question. I went to my supervisor's desk for help or to be pointed in the right direction, thinking it was the obvious thing to do. I have to say, she was very kind to put her personal call on hold to hear me out, but the helpfulness ended there. Her response to my question was, "I don't know," followed by a blank, impatient stare.  

As the years have gone by, I've encountered other leaders who have shown me the less-than-flattering side of so-called leadership. You know, the ones who can't communicate with their employees face to face, instead they text message or email you? How about the ones who instill fear in their staff and call it managing? Or my favorite, the ones who don't share information with their staff out of fear an employee may one day take their job?

Nevertheless, I see all of these "bad" leadership characteristics as an opportunity for us as leaders (new and old) to start doing the opposite. Do the opposite of what you know are poor management practices.  The next time an employee asks you a question, do not respond with, "I don't know," unless you follow up the statement with, "But I will find out."

Effective leaders lead with passion and purpose. They are not afraid to have a vision and share it with others. They view leadership as an opportunity to take others along to the top. Being alone on top only makes you lonely. I'm convinced that visionary business leaders and managers who experience success believe in the mission, are committed to success, and constantly work on professional self-improvement. 

There are several characteristics that move you from being a leader with a vision to a visionary leader. As times change and organizations are expected to do more with fewer resources, it is imperative that today's leaders can embrace change while managing staff and maintaining or increasing productivity and profits. 

Here are my baseline considerations for visionary leaders: 

1. Develop a shared vision. The visionary leader is unafraid to communicate the vision of the organization with others. They also aren't afraid to let others know where they want to go and how they want to get there.

2. Lead by example. Visionary leaders lead with confidence, they create an environment built around trust, and they are not afraid to rework a plan if it works better for the unit.

3. Be a change agent. In these ever-changing times, a visionary leader will identify challenges that may impact the bottom line and take steps to overcome the challenge. Popularity may often be a result of leadership, but the visionary leader is willing to go against what is popular for the good of the organization and its people.

4. Take risks. The visionary leader is comfortable taking risks. When it comes to moving an organization forward, increasing profits, and enhancing the organization's bottom line, the safest bet is not always the surest bet.

Which type of leader are you going to be?

About the author: Patricia L. Jackson is founder and president of Xpect Results. Contact her at info@xpectresults.com