We think of leadership as a title that
has to be deserved or earned.
But leaders are rarely, if ever, born. If
we had to isolate a factor that
creates leaders, it’s probably some
combination of circumstance and
persistence.
Many, many leaders walk among us–
in all kinds of people, places and
positions.
Some of the greatest leaders you’ll
ever meet aren’t even aware of their
own leadership.
Here are 10 signs that you may be
one of them:
1. You have an open mind and seek
out other people’s opinions. If
people are drawn to you because you
are open to others people’s opinions,
you are a leader.
2. You offer advice and counsel. If
you find yourself advising your
colleagues, and your friends are
asking you to counsel them–if people
seem to seek out and value what you
say–then your empathy is strong and
your perspective has real-world
usefulness to those around you. If
you often help those around you
navigate their rough patches, you are
a leader.
3. People count on you. If people rely
on you, it follows that they trust you
to follow through and deliver on your
promises. If you hold yourself
accountable and demonstrate the
kind of day-in, day-out responsibility
that leads others to trust you, you are
a leader.
4. You’re a good listener and people
confide in you. Being able to listen to
others, having people speak to you
frankly without worrying about who
you’ll tell or how you might use that
knowledge against them, are signs of
strong leadership–not to mention of
being a nice person. If you
understand that listening is more
important than speaking, and if
people know they can confide in you,
you are a leader.
5. Others follow your example. The
most powerful form of leadership
isn’t persuasion or argument or force,
but example. Whether times are good
or bad, people notice who’s present,
who’s effective, who’s working hard
without distraction. When that person
is you, others naturally follow you–
and you are a leader.
6. You insist on excellence. As
Aristotle said, we are what we
repeatedly do, and therefore
excellence is not an act but a habit.
When you are in the habit of standing
up for excellence and you hold
yourself and those around you
responsible for quality, you are telling
others that you act rather than talk,
show rather than say, deliver rather
than promise. If you are not making
excuses or blaming others but
holding up the standard of excellence
and quality, you are a leader.
7. You have a positive attitude.
Positive, optimistic people make
people around them happy. A positive
outlook doesn’t blind you to problems
or issues but allows you to seek out
something good in almost every
situation and to know that eventually
things will be all right. It’s the kind of
spirit that keeps people motivated
and spreads optimism, and it means
you are a leader.
8. You treat people with respect.
Knowledge may give you power,
being smart may give you an
advantage, but when you give respect
you will always receive respect in
return. If you look for the good in
everyone you meet and respect them
for who they are, it’s likely that they
hold you in high esteem and that you
are a leader.
9. You genuinely care about others. If
you spend time supporting, guiding
and sharing your knowledge with
those around you, giving them the
opportunity to achieve success, and
if you care about their well-being and
do all you can to help them attain
their own success, you are a leader.
10. You are confident and
passionate. Most people are always
watching each other, looking for cues
about how to behave. Being
confident means moving with
assurance, being passionate about
what you believe and refusing to let
anything get in your way. If you work
consistently toward a cause with
vision and confidence, you are a
leader.
Are you failing to see something
important within yourself? Weigh
yourself against these traits,
reconsider what you think you know,
and recognize yourself for the leader
you may really be.
0 comments:
Post a Comment