Since the beginning of time, the term “leadership” has spawned diverse maxims and explanations on what it means to be a leader. Niccolo Machiavelli believed that a good leader must either be feared or loved in order to lead, while the Bible says a capable leader must first serve his or her followers in order to earn their followership.
Leadership is the ability to create an inspiring future that motivates people to engage with it. A leader serves as the anchor needed to turn that vision into a reality. Leaders are important figures in every aspect of our lives including governing, religion, work places, etc., for each aspect requires someone to steer the populace in the right direction. To accomplish this, there are time proved skill sets every aspiring leader must have in order to succeed and here are the key attributes.
Leaders inspire and motivate others: without motivation, it is impossible to achieve something of note. Great leaders create a vision of the future that must be compelling enough to ensure that people buy into it. A belief in a leader’s mission creates a sustainable environment where people will be inspired and motivated to contribute their quota in bringing this vision to life. Therefore, a leader must master the ability to accurately communicate ideas through speeches and presentations in order to inspire. Moreover, leaders display integrity and honesty: in old monarchial governments, the ruling class always set the trends on dressing, worship and art which the populace followed without objections. Today, a leader’s example directly affects the attitude of his/her followers which means displaying a high level of integrity and honesty. Therefore, a leader must avoid hypocrisy by walking the talk.
Leaders solve problems and manage the achievement of set goals. The legendary entrepreneur, Elon Musk, has always been lauded for his ability to ‘go into the trenches’ with his staff when the need to solve difficult problems arise. A key to motivating followers is to share their daily labors and to be a source of assistance at critical moments. This provides a measure of credibility to the leader when he/she demands a listening ear and loyalty from followers. Great leaders must also set performance goals in order to measure progress of achieving the goals. Tracking and managing results allows them to spot valuable assets and reward them accordingly.
Developing one’s leadership skills is a continuous process which requires dedication to professional development. Prospective leaders must invest in mastering the art of leading by studying professional speech examples and participate in trainings in order to achieve greatness.
References
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- Fu, P., Wu, R., Yang, Y. and Ye, J. (2007). Chinese Culture and Leadership. In: J. Chhokar, F. Brodbeck and R. House, ed., Culture and Leadership Across the World: The GLOBE Book of In-Depth Studies of 25 Societies, 1st ed. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers, pp.877-907.