I recently completed a leadership course that required us to take an assessment that measured our leadership traits. After answering a long series of questions, the assessment generated a “leadership profile” that included our strongest and weakest traits.

Fun fact about me: I love quizzes. I spent my teen years taking quizzes from Seventeen and Cosmo Girl that would give me valuable information, like the color of my aura or what kind of haircut would suit me best. Even a quiz on something as comparably mundane as leadership traits makes my adolescent self shimmy with excitement.

My top three leadership traits were analytical, methodical, and caring. I consider myself fairly self-aware, so this wasn’t a huge surprise to me. However, as we discussed our results in the course, I had the opportunity to think more deeply about the role of “caring” in leadership.

Caring might not be the first trait that comes to mind when people think of strong leadership, but as I reflected, I realized how foundational it is. Leadership isn’t just about strategy, decision-making, or efficiency—it’s also about people. A leader who genuinely cares creates an environment where individuals feel valued, heard, and supported.

Caring shows up in many ways: taking the time to check in with a team member who seems overwhelmed, advocating for equitable policies, or simply listening without distraction. It fosters trust and psychological safety, which leads to higher engagement and stronger collaboration.

Of course, caring has to be balanced with other leadership qualities. Overemphasizing it without clear boundaries can lead to burnout or difficulty making tough decisions. But when paired with confidence, accountability, and vision, it becomes a powerful force that strengthens teams and organizations.

In my personal experience, I have found my care for my team to be an absolute strength. It has led me to form strong relationships with my direct reports, which leads to innovative ideas and a positive working environment. It also motivates me to be the best possible leader for them and seek out opportunities (like this course) to improve my skills.

This experience reminded me that leadership assessments aren’t just about confirming what we already know—they’re an opportunity to deepen our understanding and refine how we show up for others. And in my case, it reinforced something I hope to always embody: leadership that embraces caring.