In a recent post on effective leadership, we examined what is known and what is needed to develop effective leadership.¹  There was a brief exploration on styles of leadership that could be deployed depending on the context and the needs of the group.  Beyond styles of leadership, there also needs to be certain attitudes and behaviors that are leveraged by a leader. Just a reminder that “leader” is not a title on an email signature line or a business card or placard outside an office.  According to John Maxwell,  “Leadership impact is drawn not from position or title but from authentic relationships.” What Successful People Know about Leadership (2016), p. 10

We can describe attitude as a mindset and behaviors as skillset.  Effective leaders possess both the mindset and skillset to lead effectively.  I recently presented at the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Association Leading and Learning conference with two great colleagues, Sydnie Ritze and Randy Williams.  When thinking about mindset and skillset, here are some items we identified from our interactions with both leaders and groups.

First, effective leaders aren’t just defined by what they do—they are shaped by how they think. A leadership mindset isn’t about authority; it’s about growth, adaptability, and empowerment. This leadership mindset might include curiosity, collaboration, commitment to continuous learning, adaptability, and intentionality or purpose-driven thinking.  Not only does the presence of these attitudes affect an organization’s culture, the absence of them does as well. Leaders who work with collaborative teams share information, cooperate, create even playing fields for voice and input, etc.  Conversely, leaders who work with teams that aren’t collaborative hoard information so that others can’t gain any perceived advantage. They work in silos and allow or isolate members of their “team.” Rather than connect, they divide and dissect. Instead of curiosity, they display judgement. The mindset of the leader has great bearing on their effectiveness and therefore, the effectiveness of their team.

A leader could also display many important attitudes from a leadership mindset, but be deficient in the skills or behaviors to lead their team effectively.  This is because leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about influence, and influence is built on key skills that drive meaningful conversations, trust, and growth. Some of those skills might include goal setting, reflecting, establishing trust, facilitating conversations, deep listening, questioning, and purposeful dialogue. Again, the presence of these skills drive performance and team effectiveness while the absence of these skills hinder movement towards an aspirational reality. 

Leadership mindset and skillset are linked and overlapping as well. For example, if a leader possesses true curiosity, they will usually demonstrate a greater capacity to listen and ask insightful questions. Their mindset will drive their behaviors. Leaders can and will refine their mindset and their skillset, especially if they believe in the power of continuous learning and improvement. 

Building authentic relationships builds influence which builds leadership legacy. Let’s continue the conversation and exploration about effective leadership. Let’s support those around us. If you read my first blog post, you know I’m doing it for “them.”² Who are you becoming more effective for?

¹https://ericlfox.com/2025/02/12/have-you-experienced-effective-leadership/
²https://ericlfox.com/2017/02/11/why-do-we-do-it/