THE QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP

Author: Craig Lock

Are you a leader of men (and women)? At least, do you believe that you have leadership potential? Do you WANT to be a leader, or a follower?

If you want to be a ""'great' leader of men"", here are a few thoughts on the qualities needed. When we think of the word leader, we usually immediately think of the concept of POWER. Your great passion might be to become a leader. It will certainly give you power - not within yourself necessarily, but over others. (Do you have a ""Napoleon complex"" - to lead ""for it's own sake"", perhaps?). To be a leader, first you must really WANT to. A great DESIRE is the key here. You must be really ""hungry"" for the position and pursue leadership with great determination - with all the means at your disposal. That is, using all your powers, qualities (see below) and potential. With a strong DESIRE you will, as long as you have the following personal leadership qualities:

1. Unwavering courage.

2. Self control.

3. Always keeping a sense of justice (and fairness) towards others.

4. Definiteness of decisions.

5. Definiteness of plans (purpose). A leader then works their plan by putting it into ACTION.

6. Leaders have a habit of doing more than they are paid for. Effort and sacrifice gets them to a position of authority in the first place.

7. A pleasing personality. People LIKE the people they follow... and will do anything for great inspiring leaders (even to death).

8. Empathy, sympathy and understanding. As the Spanish (and my dear mother) would say, ""being 'sympatico'"" towards other people, by taking their feelings into consideration. This is the difference between ""thinkers"" and ""feelers"". Thinkers are logical, analytical types, who usually do well in business. Feelers, like me, are far more emotional and creative people (""unbalanced"" perhaps?). What type of person are you?

9. Mastery of detail. I'm hopeless on that one. I'm a ""grand picture person"", who has no idea of the number of bolts needed to build my bridge. I would never walk on it after finishing it anyway!

10. Willingness to assume full responsibility for one's decisions - no matter what may go wrong!

11. Co-operation (full) with others in seeing one's plans, the grand vision come to fruition.

12. Leaders are PASSIONATE people. Eliminating options will help you find your passion, your niche in life by initially pointing you in the right direction. I've been using the process of elimination for years and years and I'm slowly getting there. At least I think so!

If you don't know your passion, knowing what you don't want is a step in the right direction. I've worked out, that I don't really want to be a ""leader"" - preferring ""to do my own thing"" in writing books, that will ""reach out, touch and hopefully even inspire"" others. That is ""me"" and what I believe to be my ""calling in life"".

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So after reading all that, you still want to become a leader. Good! You're a brave person who will go far; because, I believe, there is a definite lack of ""quality inspirational leadership"" in today's societies - throughout the world!

Whether you want to be a follower...or a leader...

Just be YOU and be happy

About the author: Craig Lock http://www.craiglock.com Creative Writing Course http://www.nzenterprise.com/writer/creative.html Craig's various books*(hard copies, CD's and e-books) are available at: http://www.bridgeniche.com/CLOCK/zaniestbooks.htm http://www.novelty-gift.com and http://www.nzenterprise.com