Leadership

Who Is a Leader?

The dictionary defines a leader as a "guiding or directing head." A leader can be anyone, and anyone can be a leader. You don't have to be in a position of authority to be a leader. There are many leaders who are in positions of authority, and their leadership is clearly visible. There are others, though, who are leaders by example. They may stay behind the scenes, yet they have great influence over people they meet.

Think about teachers, for example. Do they not "direct" our children? Are they not guides for our future generations? Yet we don't often think of them as leaders. And what about parents? Every parent is a leader, whether he or she wants to be or not. As the old saying goes, "We lead by example." Our children follow what we do, so we must accept that mantle of leadership with great care and responsibility.

And what about each one of us? Can we all be leaders? We can if we have a worthy goal in mind and are not just pursuing selfish ends. We can if we are passionate about what we want to do and pass that passion onto those around us. We can if we care about others and help them achieve their goals, too. We need not look far to find a leader, we need only look inside ourselves.

Traits of Great Leaders

They are realistically positive. A great leader doesn't have pie-in-the-sky optimism, thinking that everything will always turn out for the best. But great leaders do believe in the great possibility of success and are willing to take the actions necessary to get there. They expect things to turn out well and have confidence in their own abilities to make that happen.

They inspire, they don't dictate. Great leaders are there to help, but they encourage people to solve their own problems. If someone comes to them with a problem, they say, "What do you think you should do?" They know how to inspire somebody to get motivated so that the person becomes excited about the possibilities that lay ahead.

They surround themselves with success. They create a very strong environment where they live and where they work. They are focused on keeping things around that elevate their success. They also surround themselves with other successful people. They share ideas with others in their industry and welcome input from their peers and colleagues.

They have a passion for what they do. Passion means having a deep love, respect, and commitment for what you do personally and professionally. It's possible to be a leader at something you hate, but not for long. Some people find their passion very early in life; others wander from here to there until they discover their life's work.

But all great leaders eventually find vocations they truly love. They are excited and enthusiastic about what they do, and they pass that on to those around them. Once a person discovers his or her passion in life, it becomes like a magnet, drawing them inevitably closer to success, and drawing others along with them.

They communicate and speak from the heart. They are able to connect with people. The greatest leaders are the ones who are spontaneous. They know their overall mission, they know what they want to say, and they can say it without depending solely on a written script. They have a message that they want to share that comes from their passion, and they can share it without preaching or shouting. Their sincerity comes through in their words as well as in their deeds.

They have goals and a vision. They focus on what they want to achieve, establish priorities, and know what they have to do in order to keep moving forward. They always have a specific destination in mind. Their goals provide them with purpose and allow them to wake up each morning energized and looking forward to the tasks they know must be accomplished that day. Leaders are part of teams, and their goals are tied in with the goals of the team.
In the movie Any Given Sunday, Al Pacino, who plays the role of a head coach of a pro football team, tries to encourage a young quarterback by telling him what a former quarterback, who was at the end of his career, said about leading the team: "Do you know what I'll miss the most? I'll miss looking down the field with the team." A great leader not only looks at the goal, but gets the whole team to look at the same goal.

They achieve plans through their people, not for them. There is an old saying that goes, "If you want something done right, do it yourself." That is the mantra of a perfectionist, not a leader. Leaders let their people do what they were hired for, even if it means that they make the occasional mistake. They are grateful for what they have been able to achieve, and are happy to help others do the same. Great leaders are able to see the potential in other people, and to allow them the time and space they need to develop it. As William H. Danforth, the founder of Ralston Purina and author of I Dare You! once said, "Catch a passion for helping others and a richer life will come back to you."

They are bone honest. They say what they mean and they mean what they say. Jimmy Johnson, coach of the Dallas Cowboys, believes that this is the way to motivate people. Each year, during training camp, he has to encourage nervous, anxious rookies. So at the end of day, he'll tell each one about the good things they did on the field that day and say, "We think you can play here. We like you." And he means it. Says Johnson, "Sincerity is the most important part of positive treatment. The only thing worse than a coach or CEO who doesn't care about his people is one who pretends to care."

They maintain a sense of humor. Humor breaks down barriers. I was conducting a seminar recently for a Fortune 500 company. At the company-wide meeting before the seminars began, the CEO took part in a skit in which he made fun of himself. He took a risk doing this, as it might have made him appear foolish. But it had the opposite effect. It took him out of the category of CEO and made him appear human. It made him seem like a real, approachable person and transformed his employees' feelings toward him. Great leaders aren't funny all the time (they take their business very seriously). They don't necessarily have a great sense of humor—but they know when a little levity can ease a tense situation and make everyone feel a bit more comfortable.

They cultivate awareness. Leaders concentrate on the big picture, and all their actions are geared towards turning that picture into reality. They are often visionaries, and can see the great possibilities that can come from staying on the path they have undertaken. They see themselves as successful before they ever reach their goals. They are constantly looking out for the opportunities that surround them so that they can steer their ship in the right direction.

Great leaders hire great people. Great leaders know their own weaknesses, and hire people whose strengths fill in the gaps. They're not interested in "yes men" or people who do nothing but make the leader look good. They want people who fill in any gaps and make the strongest team possible.

Leaders are mentors and leaders have mentors. When leaders have problems, they have a core group of people the can call upon for help and advice. Every leader has to make difficult decisions. It's always good to consult someone who's been there before, someone who's wiser and more experienced than you. Leaders are also mentors to others. They are as generous with their wisdom as others are with theirs.

They have a commitment to service. A few years ago, I saw a book with the title, The Customer Comes Second. In business, you're always taught that the customer comes first. Who could come before the customer? According to this book, your employees come first. If they feel valued and respected, they will value and respect your customers in turn. Great leaders take care of their employees, and their customers get taken care of in the long run.

They are constantly learning. Leaders are readers. They read about their industry. They read about current events. They read about history. They read biographies of men and women who have accomplished much in their lives. They learn by taking action. Nothing teaches better than experience, and great leaders are constantly open to new experiences. They explore new interests. They learn new skills for business and for pleasure. They practice the fundamentals of their business so that once learned, they have a skill for life

They have faith in themselves first. Mark Twain once said, "Fear came knocking at the door, faith answered, and no one was there." Great leaders have to have faith in themselves and in their abilities because they communicate this faith to those around them. Of course, they have moments of doubt and fear just like everyone else. But they don't dwell on them. They acknowledge those moments and let them pass. They exude confidence, and their belief in their vision is so strong that other people can't help but believe as well.

They deliver on promises, or they don't make them. Great leaders do not make promises lightly. They know that they will remain leaders only as long as they have the trust and loyalty of their "followers." If they break their word, they break that trust. They destroy their own integrity, and once destroyed, it is difficult to regain.

They are flexible,They are focused,They are flawed, but they have diamond potential,They understand that recognition is a powerful motivator,They expect excellence and push beyond,They turn adversity into opportunity,They have fun

The Leaders People Hate...

Have no energy and low enthusiasm.

Have no vision.

Are willing to settle for average performance.

Take credit for everything.

Are blame-assigners.

Are glued to their desks.

Care more about their commission than about their people.

Lack communication skills.

Let their friends stop pulling their weight.

Don't stand behind their team.

Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy. —Norman Schwarzkopf,U.S. military leader