During our Her Turn session in Tallinn, participants mapped the qualities they believe strong leaders need today. Their reflections showed that leadership is not only about making decisions — it is about creating a culture where people feel safe, respected and supported to grow.
The top 9 qualities of a good leader are the following:
- Be humble and know your limits – good leadership starts with understanding that no leader has all the answers and that asking for support is a sign of strength, not weakness.
- Ability to empower and create a safe space – a good leader creates an environment where people feel safe to speak, contribute, make mistakes and grow.
- Take responsibility and lead by example – leadership means being accountable for your actions and decisions, while setting the standard through your own behaviour.
- Respect and trust your team – strong leadership is built on mutual respect and trust, giving people the confidence and space to do their best work.
- Set clear goals and expectations – good leaders provide clarity, so that everyone understands the direction, their role and what success looks like.
- Communicate openly and honestly – open and honest communication helps build trust, reduce uncertainty and create stronger collaboration within a team.
- Develope own knowledge and skills – leadership is a continuous learning journey, requiring curiosity, self-reflection and the willingness to keep growing.
- Take care of yourself and delegate, if needed – sustainable leadership also means knowing when to pause, protect your energy and trust others by sharing responsibility.
- Make difficult decisions and never manipulate – good leadership requires courage to make hard decisions, while staying ethical, fair and respectful of others.
