When we say “leader,” who’s the first person that comes into your mind? Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher, JFK? By “leader” I mean not just the person who bosses you around or drive you nuts in your small office cubicle. What I mean are those people who make an impact in your life, the ones who motivated you to do good, to be good, and sees the best in you. There’s a load of responsibilities weighing at the shoulders of every leader yet the concept of being a leader is still the goal of many people.
But what really takes to be a leader? Leadership qualities can be adopted and even imparted. For the true essence of a leader is leading others with strong qualities and leaving a footprint for them to follow. So that when the time is right, they too will emerge as leaders.
Strong Leadership Belief
Leading does not mean just blurting out opinions one after the other. A true leader is someone who values the goal of the organization, always considering the vision and the mission of the company. He shows connections between goal and strategy. He values individual accountability as well as team effort. This effect builds a culture within the organization that embraces change for the better. They set clear goals for people he manages. He is able to manage across boundaries while empowering others to do the same. If a leader has a strong belief in his organization, his decision and actions, people will notice it and will follow him willingly.
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How you can adopt this essential:
Managing people with a clear belief is a practice. Set a clear goal to master this practice. Keep your people focused with clear direction and goals. If there’s a new direction, explain the benefits clearly and engage your team. When you do this, your team will confidently follow you.
Strong People Skills
A leader is more than just being tenacious. He should also display strong communication skills along with the ability to gather a team of talented people toward a common goal in a way each of them is highly motivated and works effectively individually and as a team. He earns the trust and confidence of his team by leading by example. First, he demonstrates positive work qualities and attitude. confidence. He also fosters an environment that encourages people to value their commitment, beliefs and goals.
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How you can adopt this essential:
Talk to your team. Listen to them in a way that you truly understand them , not just for the sake of hearing them out. When your project is successful, humbly share the credit with your entire team. Learn to say “thank you.” Always assure them that they are valued. Ask their opinions. Their insights might contribute much to the success in attaining your goals.
Strong Self-Motivation
There comes a time that motivation is scarce and even leaders deplete their energy resource. But even if they hit rock bottom, we don’t see them hiding from their desks and waiting for them to be found. Leaders go out, mingle, and invoke a better change through their actions. They love challenges and will work all day (and most of the time even at night) to solve problems and battle opportunities. They are adaptable and resilient to changing situations. No matter what the odds are, they still display a helping spirit, motivating them to achieve team and individual goals. They are driven by a clear vision. Their passion in their ideas is what drives them to self-motivate.
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How you can adopt this essential:
Make it a regular discipline to rest from a flurry of activity reflecting. Even if there are larger things surrounding you, there is still higher, a more powerful goal to elevate your sense of being. A time to reflect will help you to be more aligned. That opportunity helps to retool the leader in you.
Strong Sense of Integrity
In the business world, sadly some still think that integrity is a relic of the past and those still following it will be doomed to failure. A true leader on the other hand value the code of ethics that underpins the very fabric of business. Successful, sustainable leaders maintain the highest standards of integrity. They firmly believe that at the end of the day, if they cannot prove themselves credible, nobody will ever do business with them. With importance in working with clients or leading a team, effective leaders admit to any error made and offer solutions to correct rather than lie about, blame others for, or dwell on the problem itself.
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How you can adopt this essential:
Leaders are no cheaters. They take the high road. More than anything, they build their name with Integrity etched on it. It generates trust which is a highly vital ingredient for long term success. Have faith in yourself and in your team.
