Do you want to conduct the Leaders You Admire activity with your teams?
This simple exercise can spark meaningful conversations about leadership qualities your team values. It helps align everyone on what effective guidance looks like within your group. The activity also reveals generational and cultural differences in how people define strong leadership. It encourages empathy as team members hear why a coach, CEO, parent, or activist shaped someone’s values. Plus, the insights you gather can directly inform your team charter or leadership principles.
In this article, let’s see how to run this activity with variations and debrief questions.
Here is an overview of the sections in this article:
- The primary objectives of the Leaders You Admire activity.
- Five distinct variations, including a classic version, to suit different team needs.
- Practical tips for facilitating a successful session.
- A helpful FAQ section to answer common questions.
So, let’s get started!
Objective of the Activity
The Leaders You Admire activity is a powerful tool for team development. It goes beyond a simple discussion to uncover the core leadership traits that resonate with your team members.
Let’s look at the key objectives of this exercise.
Foster a Shared Understanding of Leadership
This activity encourages team members to define what good leadership means to them. By sharing examples of admirable leaders, the group collectively builds a picture of ideal leadership. This process helps create a shared language and set of expectations for leaders within the team.
Identify Valued Leadership Qualities
Participants pinpoint specific traits they admire, such as integrity, vision, empathy, or decisiveness. This reveals what the team truly values in a leader. The insights gathered can inform leadership development programs, feedback mechanisms, and even hiring criteria.
Enhance Team Cohesion
Discussing personal heroes and role models in a professional context builds trust. Team members learn about each other’s values and perspectives. This shared experience can strengthen interpersonal bonds and create a more cohesive working environment.
Encourage Self-Reflection
The activity prompts individuals to reflect on their own leadership styles. Participants consider which admirable qualities they already possess and which they could develop further. It serves as a gentle nudge toward personal growth and self-improvement as a leader or team member.
Align on Team Expectations
By the end of the session, the team has a clearer, agreed-upon vision of effective leadership. This alignment helps guide behavior, decision-making, and communication. It ensures everyone is working toward a common understanding of what successful guidance looks like for your specific group.
5 Variations of the Leaders You Admire Activity
Here are 5 variations of the Leaders You Admire activity to keep the exercise fresh and engaging for your teams.
#1. The Classic Version
This is the original and most straightforward version of the activity. It focuses on individual reflection followed by a group discussion to identify common themes.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Whiteboard or flip chart, markers, and sticky notes
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Ask each person to silently think of a leader they admire and write down three qualities they appreciate about that person on sticky notes.
- Have each team member share their chosen leader and the associated qualities, placing their sticky notes on the whiteboard.
- Group similar qualities together to identify the most frequently mentioned leadership traits. For instance, you might group “honest,” “transparent,” and “trustworthy” under a single theme of integrity.
- Facilitate a brief discussion about the patterns that emerged and what they mean for your team.
Debrief
- What common themes did you notice in the qualities we admire?
- How can we cultivate more of these leadership qualities within our team?
- Which of these qualities do you think is most important for our team’s success right now?
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#2. The “Anti-Leader” Version
This variation flips the concept on its head. It asks participants to describe the traits of a leader they would not want to follow, helping to define positive leadership by its absence.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Whiteboard, and markers
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Ask the group to brainstorm characteristics of a “toxic” or ineffective leader they have encountered or imagined.
- Write these negative traits on one side of a whiteboard. For example, participants might suggest “micromanages,” “takes all the credit,” or “communicates poorly.”
- For each negative trait, ask the group to identify its positive opposite and write it on the other side of the whiteboard.
- Discuss the resulting list of positive leadership qualities and their importance to the group.
Debrief
- Was it easier to identify negative traits or positive ones? If so, why?
- Which of the positive “opposite” traits is most critical for us to focus on?
- How can we hold ourselves and each other accountable for demonstrating these positive behaviors?
#3. The Fictional Leader Version
This creative twist encourages participants to think outside the box by focusing on leaders from books, movies, or television shows. It can lighten the mood and spur creative thinking.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Sticky notes, pens, and whiteboard
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Ask each team member to choose a fictional leader they admire. This could be anyone from Captain Picard to Leslie Knope.
- Have them write down two or three key leadership qualities this character demonstrates.
- Each person briefly presents their fictional leader and explains why they chose them, focusing on the admirable traits. For instance, someone might choose Atticus Finch for his unwavering integrity and moral courage.
- Cluster the identified qualities on a whiteboard to see which leadership characteristics appear most often.
Debrief
- What makes fictional leaders so memorable or inspiring?
- Which of the qualities we discussed today would be most beneficial in our real-world work?
- How does thinking about fictional characters change our perspective on leadership?
#4. The Historical Figure Version
This variation narrows the focus to leaders from history. It encourages a discussion about timeless leadership principles that have stood the test of time.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Paper and pens
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Instruct participants to select a historical figure they admire as a leader.
- Ask each person to write down a specific decision or action this leader took that demonstrates their great leadership.
- Go around the group, having each person share their chosen figure and the specific example. For example, a participant might cite Abraham Lincoln’s ability to unite a divided cabinet.
- Discuss the underlying principles behind these historical actions and their relevance today.
Debrief
- What leadership lessons from history are still relevant for our team today?
- Are there any historical leadership styles we should actively avoid? If so, why?
- How do the challenges faced by historical leaders compare to the ones we face?
#5. The Peer Nomination Version
This powerful variation turns the focus inward. It asks team members to identify leadership qualities they admire in their colleagues, fostering mutual respect and recognition.
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: Notecards and pens
Participants: 3-8 people per group
Instructions
- Give each participant several notecards. Ask them to write down the name of a teammate and a specific leadership quality they admire in that person.
- Encourage them to provide a brief example of when they saw that quality in action. For instance, “I admire Sarah for her decisiveness. She made a tough call on the project last week that kept us on track.”
- Collect the cards and read them aloud anonymously or have participants share them directly with one another.
- Facilitate a discussion about the strengths present within the team and how to leverage them.
Debrief
- How did it feel to recognize leadership qualities in your peers?
- What leadership strengths do we have right here on our team?
- How can we better support and learn from each other’s leadership styles?
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Tips for Successful Facilitation
Running a smooth and impactful session requires more than just following the steps. A good facilitator creates an environment where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts.
Let’s explore some tips to help you lead this activity effectively.
Set a Positive and Open Tone
Your role as a facilitator is to create a psychologically safe space. Start the meeting by explaining the purpose of the activity. Emphasize that there are no right or wrong answers. Reassure the team that the goal is to learn from each other’s perspectives. Use inclusive language and an encouraging tone to make everyone feel valued.
Choose the Right Variation
Consider your team’s dynamics and goals when selecting a version of the activity. The classic version is great for a general discussion. The “Anti-Leader” variation can be useful if the team has experienced negative leadership. The peer nomination version is excellent for building morale and internal recognition. Matching the activity to your team’s context will make it more relevant and impactful.
Manage Time Effectively
Keep an eye on the clock to ensure you get through the activity and the debrief. Allocate specific amounts of time for individual reflection, group sharing, and discussion. Give the team a gentle heads-up when time is running short for a particular section. This structure helps maintain momentum and ensures you cover all the important points without rushing the conversation at the end.
Guide the Debrief with Purpose
The debrief is where the real learning happens. Don’t let it become a vague chat. Use open-ended questions to guide the conversation toward actionable insights. Focus the discussion on how the team can apply what they’ve learned. The goal is to connect the abstract qualities of admired leaders to the team’s daily work and behaviors.
Capture and Synthesize Key Takeaways
Have a whiteboard, flip chart, or digital document ready to capture the themes that emerge. Grouping similar ideas together helps the team visualize the most valued leadership traits. At the end of the session, summarize the key takeaways. This act of synthesizing reinforces the main points and creates a tangible record of the team’s shared vision of leadership. You can then refer back to this summary in future meetings.
Final Words
The Leaders You Admire activity is a versatile and insightful exercise for any team. It opens up a constructive dialogue about what effective leadership looks like. By exploring different variations, you can tailor the experience to your team’s specific needs. The activity helps build a shared understanding of leadership qualities. Ultimately, it aligns your team around a common vision for success.
FAQ: Leaders You Admire Activity
You might have these questions in mind.
What if team members choose controversial leaders?
As a facilitator, it is important to set ground rules for respectful discussion. Remind the team to focus on the specific leadership qualities they admire, not the entire person. If a choice seems disruptive, gently steer the conversation back to the admirable traits and their relevance to the team.
Can this activity be done with a remote team?
Yes, this activity works very well for remote teams. You can use digital whiteboarding tools like Miro or Mural for brainstorming and clustering sticky notes. Breakout rooms in video conferencing software are perfect for small group discussions. Ensure everyone knows how to use the tools beforehand.
How often should we do this activity?
This activity is great to run monthly or when a team’s composition changes. You could also use it when the team is kicking off a major new project or facing a new challenge. Running it periodically helps track how the team’s perspective on leadership evolves over time.
What if the team is new and doesn’t know each other well?
For new teams, the classic or fictional leader variations are excellent choices. These versions do not require deep personal knowledge of teammates. They serve as a great icebreaker, helping new members learn about each other’s values in a safe, structured way.
How do we turn the discussion into action?
After the activity, synthesize the top 3-5 leadership qualities the team identified. Lead a follow-up discussion on how to embed these qualities into your team’s processes. This could involve changing how you run meetings, give feedback, or recognize contributions. Creating an action plan makes the exercise more than just a conversation.