"The leader must know, must know he knows, and must be able to make it abundantly clear to those about him that he knows. ~ Clarence B. Randall
What does it take to be a good leader? Its the qualities to inspire others to follow-- courage, self-discipline, compassion, strength, honesty.
And more. Leadership is celebrating those you lead and putting their needs BEFORE your own. Leadership is serving those you lead.
WHAT THEY OUGHT TO BE
"Treat people as if they were what they ought to be, and you help them to become what they are capable of being. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Leaders are akamai (smart, clever) at nurturing potential leaders. Napoleon Bonaparte believed that every soldier in his army could be a general. Nurtured talent builds confidence. Empowerment builds synergism. And synergism is magic.
Nurturing means:
Believing in those you serve,
Trusting them, and
Learning from them.
Writer Oliver Goldsmith once observed, People seldom improve when they have no other model but themselves to copy."
BOOST SELF-ESTEEM
"Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish. ~ Sam Walton
Exceptional leader Sam Walton built Wal-Mart into the fastest growing, most influential force in the retail industry. He traveled extensively, continually visiting his stores to ask his people over and over again how they did their job and how they could do their job better.
People today are looking for much more than a paycheck. They want to be treated like human beings. That may sound obvious, but a lot of employers still dont get it. ~ Mitchell Thall, President, Epicure
VOICES OF THE PEOPLE
"The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people." ~ Woodrow Wilson
President Woodrow Wilson knew of the importance of the voices of his people. He is best known for his leadership during World War I and establishment of the League of Nations.
The best leaders know that power grows to the extent power is shared. Leaders who appreciate the needs of others learn that personal power inspires innovation and creativity.
"Leaders are made, they are not born. They are made by hard effort, which is the price which all of us must pay to achieve any goal that is worthwhile. ~ Vince Lombardi
One of the greatest football coaches of all time, Vince Lombardi was an inspirational leader who motivated and succeeded.
Leaders are made, not born...