The leadership skill nobody talks about: Self-editing

"When you think of leaders you admire, you likely imagine them as authentic, at least in the sense of seeming genuine, real, and trustworthy. Science confirms this is usually the case. For example, data tells us that trustworthy leaders stand out for their "no thrills" patterns of behavior: They are, in other words, predictable, reliable, and unlikely to shock their employees or followers with erratic or excitable behavior that freaks them out."

"Furthermore, the best meta-analysis (quantitative review of hundreds of independent top studies) on personality and leadership tells us that one of the most consistent predictors of whether someone emerges as a leader, and is in turn actually effective in that role, is conscientiousness-a trait embodied by people who are methodical, disciplined, gritty, and who excel at self-control and resisting temptations (in other words, the opposite personality to Charlie Sheen, though his current self has no doubt become more conscientious!)."

"Unsurprisingly, leaders with this profile also tend to create higher levels of psychological safety, which as my colleague Amy Edmondson and I have recently illustrated is likely to create the conditions that enable teams to experiment, take healthy risks, fail smart, and speak up without fear of being reprimanded. Ironically, then, the more leaders can edit themselves, the less pressure their teams will feel to edit themselves."

Admired leaders commonly appear authentic by seeming genuine, real, and trustworthy. Trustworthy leaders often follow "no thrills" patterns: predictable, reliable, and unlikely to behave erratically. Conscientiousness—being methodical, disciplined, gritty, and self-controlled—consistently predicts who emerges and succeeds as a leader. Conscientious leaders foster higher psychological safety, enabling teams to experiment, take healthy risks, fail smart, and speak up without fear. Leaders who intentionally edit their behavior reduce pressure on team members to edit theirs. Emphasizing being the best version of oneself rather than a raw "real" self supports inclusion and safety. Every leader remains a work in progress.

Read at Fast Company