When it comes to the term “leadership”, what image comes to mind? Perhaps you picture someone who has achieved much in his or her life, a person in authority like a politician, or a celebrity who has risen to the top to make a positive difference in the lives of others. A leader may be a strong person in your company, your community, or a religious or civic group whom you look up to in some way. Or you may think of leadership as an action, rather than a person – the very act of taking charge and leading others through challenges.
However, you think of leadership, there are many gray areas that people tend to see in the real world. Really, in the simplest of terms, leadership is the ability to guide others by example. True leadership comes from within a person’s values, beliefs and attitudes. When leadership comes forth, it becomes very tangible in the real world.
The very act of leading others towards to common goal or purpose is that magic that all leaders possess. There are also some other traits that most leaders share – that you can develop in yourself.
Leaders take charge by doing. When you think about whom a leader is, chances are you thought of someone who has done great things. The ability to take charge of a situation and take positive action is what makes the best leader. Instead of merely talking about an issue, or worse yet, complaining about it; doing is what sets others apart from leaders. As the great Jedi knight, Yoda once said, “Do or do not, there is no try.”
Leaders are problem solvers. Have you ever faced a problem so monumental you had no idea where to begin coming up with a solution? If you have, then you can appreciate that leaders have the innate ability to see past a problem and make things right. Very often, strong leaders are great at finding alternative ways of managing problems. That does mean you cannot do this too. When a problem surfaces, tap into your team and come up with several options for solving it.
Leaders conquer fear. If your vision of leadership is a captain who stands at the helm of a great ship and faces challenges head on, then you know how being fearless can help anyone become a leader. When trouble arises, and it often will, a leader stands at the front of the pack to make a way for others. To be a leader, you must overcome your personal fears of failure or rejection and boldly go where you have never been before.
Leaders inspire others. Be it a corporate leader or a famous person you admire, you probably picture these types of leaders because they inspire you on some level. Being able to inspire others towards a common reason is what makes leaders who they are. That is the key personality trait that all leaders must harness in order to find success. You too can develop the ability to inspire others by learning to be inspired yourself.
This post is brought to you by the good folks at Dale Carnegie Training of Mid & Northern Michigan. We would love to connect with you on Facebook.
Send to Kindle