“Leadership is communicating to people their worth and potential so clearly that they are inspired to see it in themselves.” ~ Stephen R. Covey
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” ~ John Maxwell
“Leadership is the ability to influence yourself and others in achieving sustained results. In the process of achieving results, leaders convey vision, develop trust, establish confidence, remove barriers, and inspire the best efforts and talents of others.” ~ Shawn Moon/Franklin Covey
CHARACTERISTICS OF LEADERSHIP
Vision
A leader with vision has a clear, vivid picture of where to go. But it’s not enough to have a vision; leaders must also share it and act upon it. Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric Co., said, “Good business leaders create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion.”
Integrity
Integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person of integrity is the same on the outside and on the inside. Such an individual can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values, even when it might be expeditious to do so. A leader who is centered in integrity will be more approachable by followers.
Dedication
Dedication means spending whatever time or energy is necessary to accomplish the task at hand. A leader inspires dedication by example, doing whatever it takes to complete the next step toward the vision.
Magnanimity
Magnanimity means giving credit where it is due. A magnanimous leader ensures that credit for successes is spread as widely as possible throughout the organization. Conversely, a good leader takes personal responsibility for failures. To spread the fame and take the blame is a hallmark of effective leadership.
Humility
Leaders with humility recognize that they are no better or worse than other members of the team. A humble leader is not self-effacing but rather tries to elevate everyone.
Openness
Openness means listening to new ideas, even if they do not conform to the usual way of thinking. Good leaders are able to suspend judgment while listening to others’ ideas, as well as accept new ways of doing things that someone else thought of. Openness builds mutual respect and trust between leaders and followers, and it also keeps the team well supplied with new ideas that can further its vision.
Creativity
Creativity is the ability to think differently, to get outside of the box that constrains solutions. Creativity gives leaders the ability to see things that others have not seen and thus lead followers in new directions.
Fairness
Fairness means dealing with others consistently and justly. A leader must check all the facts and hear everyone out before passing judgment. When people feel that they are being treated fairly, they reward a leader with loyalty and dedication.
Assertiveness
Assertiveness is not the same as aggressiveness. Rather, it is the ability to clearly state what one expects so that there will be no misunderstandings.
Sense of Humor
A sense of humor is vital to relieve tension and boredom, as well as to defuse hostility. Effective leaders know how to use humor to energize followers. And simply put, humor fosters good camaraderie.