Preparation for leadership
In all areas of life, at home or work, school or university, there are people who are called to be leaders and there are people who follow. Most of the time people want to be the ‘boss’ but some may not do a very good job at it because they do not have the personality or attributes of a leader. Below are attributes generally associated with leaders.
1 – A leader has an abundance of courage. A leader without this attribute would not last long as this will not install confidence into the team of their abilities to guide the group through the task ahead
2 – A leader has to have self control. A leader who can’t control themselves would not be able to control others
3 – A leader must ensure that they are not unjust. They should be able to treat people the same and be fair when providing opportunities to shine amongst the group.
4 – A leader must be confident and steadfast in their decision and also in their thought process and planning. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail
5 – A leader strives to exceed expectations whereas a follower is content with being at the level expected of them.
6- A leader is more likely to be respected if they have a pleasing personality. They express this personality by showing sympathy and understanding to people’s problems and aim to find solutions.
7. A leader needs to know every single detail. They need to be able to think outside the box when it comes to issues and see things other people wouldn’t. A person not keen on mastering every detail wouldn’t hold on to a leadership position for long.
8. Most importantly a leader is ready to take full responsibility of work done by the people he/she presides over. If one of the workers fail, the leader has failed. However if the worker has done well the leader gives the person full credit and celebrates the team work.
I hope after reading this you try to position yourself for leadership positions. Also use this to self evaluate yourself – do you hold a leadership position at uni/work/sports team? Do you have some or all these traits? Share your thoughts …