Good leaders can sell ideas
A good leader takes responsibility.
A good leader protects his people when they’re being treated unfairly.
A good leader is in sales. He sells ideas that improve performance.
A good leader listens.
A good leader knows a good idea when he hears one and gives credit to the person with the idea.
A good leader is not afraid of change.
A good leader sees every problem as an opportunity.
A good leader plays to people’s strengths but knows when to challenge their weaknesses.
A good leader is not afraid of competition.
A good leader knows how to delegate.
These are just a small sample of the many attributes of leadership. Note that many of these qualities require the leader to think of others and do things the right way for the right reasons to benefit the group. In many instances, leadership qualities go hand-in-hand with strong values.
Having a set of strong values in how we treat people is important not only for leading others but also for keeping the leader positive and strong. I find the most stressful part of leading is being coerced and tempted into doing things that are against this value system for the sake of expediency or to follow a “policy”.
As a leader you must do what you can to avoid taking the easy way out and succumbing to these temptations. Fighting for your core beliefs can be more stressful in the short term, but will avoid greater stress in the long run – keeping you healthy and ultimately happier with yourself.
What do you think are the qualities of a leader? What qualities have I missed?
