There has long been the debate –“Are Leaders Born or can the be Made?”

 Regardless of which side you sit on, there are common traits that are recognised as great leadership qualities and even if you don’t consider yourself a ‘Leader’, there are ways that YOU can assist in the Leadership Development of others.

Have you ever met someone and immediately felt a little intimidated by them?

Perhaps you’ve spotted someone in a room at a function and have noticed how they hold a captive audience as they speak.

The best are usually up on the stage as they have been appointed ‘Leaders in Their Field’ by others who do not believe that they have either as much knowledge as the one they call ‘Leader’ or else they simply lack the confidence.

 No matter where you are at, you can develop your own Leadership skills and at THE SAME TIME bring others along with you to also learn how to become great leaders by showing others and so on and so on!

Lead

 During my research for this article, I came across this SITE 

And I indulged a little 50 question quiz on my own leadership style. This was fun and rather eye opening and interesting! I have a lot in common with Barack Obama and Mahatma Gandhi apparently!

 So, what does leadership involve?

 You need to be able to motivate and also direct others with clear instructions that cannot be misunderstood.

 You need to be able to take responsibility for the direction and actions of a team

If you are good at motivating and organising others, this is another important quality. 

  • Taking initiative, taking a risk if necessary
  • Don’t be a quitter! Persevere even when things look like they are not shaping up the way you’d like them to be!
  • Turn feelings of frustration and failure into positive attitudes
  • Accept responsibility for mistakes and wrong decisions – don’t blame others
  • Often situations change. It is important to be flexible and adaptable – adapt goals as circumstances flow.
  • Be a problem solver with a ‘CAN DO’ attitude!
  • Go beyond others expectations, take ownership and show enthusiasm 
  • The first step to building your team of leaders is to lead by example yourself.
  • Always be a student! Learn something new every single day
  • Be kind to all others and show them how to learn these skills if they have visionary goals and dreams. There can never be too many leaders! There are millions of people in the world looking for guidance and to be set free from their lack of leadership and self development.
  • Do you think you can teach others how to become leaders too? Do you have what it takes to bring out the best in others and show them their true potential?
  • Recommend the best books that you read day to day. Guide your team to the videos, webinars/ seminars that you attend, introduce them to other like-minded people and network like crazy to build up confidence. Edify your team members when you introduce them to others – so much that they begin to believe that they too are great leaders and will then begin to act like one!

 If you ever find yourself in a situation as I did once, where I was at risk of my reputation being severely damaged due to a public libel posting, how would you react?

Years ago I know I would have reacted differently. But this was on social media. I’ve learned a lot. I knew others would be watching to see how I handled the situation. I am very proud to say that I have had some wonderful ‘back pats’ for the way I graciously handled the situation and have remained friends with the person concerned – who was understandably angry but over a massive misunderstanding.

  • Develop your team to be gracious and humble. Let them lead with their hearts and their heads. Ensure that they THINK before every act and every word. It is vitally important to talk often with your team, to groom them, to stroke their ego’s until the ego melts away. No great leader has an ego. The mind needs to be compassionate but alert and always thinking of ways to bring out the best in others. Leaders serve.