Below is a ~19-minute speech you can use on the topic “What Makes a Great Leader”. I built it by cross-checking what repeatedly appears in top-ranking leadership pages—especially themes like integrity/character, vision, communication, empathy, courage/decisiveness, self-awareness, and continuous learning.
Good morning everyone.
Let me start with a tiny moment that still sits in my head like a small stone in a pocket.
Years ago, I watched two people handle the same problem in two totally different ways. Same team. Same deadline. Same pressure. One person came in loud—blaming, pointing, acting like a hero in a movie. The room got quiet, not the good quiet… the scared quiet. People stopped sharing ideas. Nobody wanted to be the next target.
Then I saw another person—calmer—walk in and say something simple:
“Okay. We’re not going to waste energy on blame. Tell me what’s true. What do we know, what don’t we know, and what do we do next?”
Same problem. But suddenly, people breathed again. They spoke up. They took responsibility. They moved.
That day I understood something: Leadership isn’t a title. Leadership is an effect you have on people. When you walk into a room, do people feel smaller… or do they feel stronger?
So today, the topic is: What makes a great leader?
Not a famous leader. Not a “LinkedIn quote” leader. A real one. The kind you’d want to follow when things get messy.
And I want to make this practical. Not fluffy. Not fancy.
The honest truth about great leadership
A great leader is basically two things:
- A person people trust.
- A person who helps people move forward.
That’s it. Trust and forward motion.
Now, if you read the best leadership research and the top leadership guides, you’ll notice the same traits keep repeating—integrity, self-awareness, empathy, courage, communication, learning agility, vision. ([CCL][1])
So I built today’s speech around a simple structure.
I call it The 7 Pillars of Great Leadership.
Not because humans are robots with checklists, but because when pressure hits, structure helps.
Pillar 1: Character — The floor you stand on
Let’s start with the unglamorous one: character.
Because before people follow your vision, they ask a quiet question in their head:
“Can I trust you?”
And trust doesn’t come from your speeches. Trust comes from your patterns.
Integrity shows up in small moments:
- Do you keep your word?
- Do you take responsibility when you mess up?
- Do you treat people fairly when nobody is watching?
Many leadership sources put integrity and character right at the top because if people don’t trust you, everything else becomes acting.
A leader with low character might still get short-term compliance.
But a leader with strong character earns something more powerful: commitment.
And commitment is fuel you don’t have to beg for.
So if you want to be a great leader, start here:
Be the same person in public and in private.
Pillar 2: Self-awareness — Knowing your own shadow
This one is a bit uncomfortable, but it’s real:
Great leaders are not just aware of others—they’re aware of themselves.
Self-awareness matters because you’re leading with your personality every day. Your tone. Your reactions. Your stress habits. Your ego. Your fears.
And if you don’t know your own patterns, you’ll accidentally create fear or confusion in people—even if your intentions are good.
Several leadership guides emphasize self-awareness and reflection as core traits because it shapes everything else—communication, humility, decision-making, even empathy.
Here’s a simple self-awareness test:
When you’re under pressure, do you become:
- controlling?
- silent?
- angry?
- defensive?
- sarcastic?
- impatient?
A great leader doesn’t pretend they don’t have weaknesses.
A great leader says: “This is where I can slip—so I’ll watch it.”
That’s maturity. That’s leadership.
Pillar 3: Vision — A clear “why” people can feel
Now let’s talk about vision.
Vision is not just big dreams. Vision is clarity.
It’s the ability to say:
- “This is where we’re going.”
- “This is why it matters.”
- “This is what success looks like.”
The highest-ranking leadership articles repeatedly emphasize vision because people don’t stay motivated by tasks alone—they stay motivated by meaning. ([Harvard Business Review][2])
And vision doesn’t have to be dramatic. It can be simple.
Example:
Instead of saying, “Work harder.”
A leader says, “We’re building something customers can trust, and we’re going to be proud of the quality.”
Instead of, “Just hit the target.”
A leader says, “We’re going to hit the target without burning out the team or breaking our values.”
A great leader gives direction—and gives dignity.
Read More: 30 minute Speech On Styles of Leadership.
Pillar 4: Communication — Making truth clear, not loud
Now we come to a pillar that can make or break teams: communication.
A lot of people think communication means “speaking well.”
No.
Communication means making things clear.
Clear expectations. Clear feedback. Clear priorities. Clear decisions.
Top leadership frameworks consistently list communication because even the best strategy dies when people don’t understand it.
And honestly, the best leaders I’ve seen don’t talk the most.
They do three things really well:
1) They listen like it’s their job
Not fake listening. Real listening.
The kind where you don’t interrupt. You don’t rush. You don’t “already know.”
2) They explain the “why,” not just the “what”
People can handle hard work.
What people hate is confusion.
3) They communicate under stress
Because anyone can be polite when life is easy.
Leadership shows up when deadlines bite, when money is tight, when mistakes happen.
A great leader can say hard things without making people feel small.
That’s a skill. And it’s a superpower.
Pillar 5: Empathy — The ability to see the human
Let’s be real: people don’t quit “work.” They quit how work feels.
They quit feeling ignored.
They quit being treated like a machine.
They quit not being seen.
Empathy is not softness. Empathy is accuracy. It’s understanding what’s actually going on with people so you can lead them properly.
A lot of credible leadership sources highlight empathy and compassion because they build trust, psychological safety, and real engagement.
Empathy sounds like:
- “Help me understand.”
- “What’s the real obstacle?”
- “What do you need from me to do your best work?”
- “How are you—really?”
And let me add something important:
Empathy doesn’t mean lowering standards.
Empathy means you lead with standards and humanity.
You can say:
“I care about you. And I still expect excellence. Let’s get there together.”
That’s great leadership.
Pillar 6: Courage + decisiveness — Doing the hard thing
Now, leadership is not only kindness. Leadership also needs backbone.
At some point, you must decide.
You must take responsibility.
You must step into discomfort.
Many leadership discussions highlight courage and decisiveness because teams can’t move forward if leaders hesitate forever.
Courage looks like:
- Saying “no” to a popular but wrong idea
- Having a tough conversation you’ve been avoiding
- Admitting you were wrong
- Protecting your team when pressure comes from above
- Taking a smart risk when fear says “stay safe”
And decisiveness doesn’t mean rushing.
It means you gather enough truth, then you commit.
A great leader tells the team:
“Here’s the decision. Here’s why. Here’s what we’ll learn. And if we need to adjust, we will.”
That creates momentum.
Pillar 7: Humility + growth — Staying teachable
The final pillar might be the most underrated: humility.
Not fake humility.
Real humility.
The kind that says:
“I don’t have all the answers.”
“I can learn from anyone.”
“I will change my mind when the facts change.”
Leadership resources often call out humility and continuous learning because the world changes—and arrogance makes leaders outdated fast.
And in real life, humility is visible in small habits:
- You ask questions instead of showing off.
- You give credit.
- You don’t steal the spotlight.
- You coach people to become strong, not dependent.
A great leader doesn’t need to be the hero of every story.
A great leader builds more leaders.
So what makes a great leader, in one sentence?
If you remember nothing else, remember this:
A great leader is someone who builds trust, creates clarity, and grows people—especially when it’s hard.
That’s the test.
Not how loud you are.
Not how powerful you look.
Not how many people fear you.
But:
- Do people trust you?
- Do people understand the direction?
- Do people become better around you?
Because leadership is not about being above people.
Leadership is about being responsible for people.
A simple challenge you can start today
I want to end with something you can actually do—today, not someday.
Try these three questions:
- What do my people need more of from me—clarity, courage, or care?
- Where do I lose trust—my mood, my promises, my ego, my consistency?
- If someone copied my leadership style exactly, would I be proud of what I’m creating?
If you can answer those honestly, you’re already on the path.
Because great leadership isn’t magic.
It’s daily decisions:
- to tell the truth,
- to treat people with respect,
- to keep learning,
- to be brave,
- to communicate clearly,
- to serve the mission without crushing the humans doing the work.
And if you do that long enough, people won’t just follow you…
They’ll believe in you.
Thank you.