What is it that most people long for in their daily lives? Leadership. Everyone craves leadership. Every great leader was once mentored and led by another great past leader. What differentiates our current culture from cultures past? Our preference for people that is well knowledgeable in their area of expertise is higher now than before. With quick access to knowledge via the Internet, as well as our lovely DIY media YouTube it has become slightly easier to pick out the real deal versus the fake.

“ If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, YOU ARE A LEADER.”—John Quincy Adams

Searching for those experts is a treat and a desire longed for by the population. These experts do not tell us what to do or how to live, but making suggestions with only our best interests in mind. Leaders guide others without smothering them into submission. Leaders is all about serving others, followers makes leaders as they force them to become more.

As patrons in our society, when we are sick we look for only the best doctor, and when we search for a care facility for a family member or loved the one we only want the best facility possible. These wants seep their way into our social life when at a gathering and food is involved we only want the best on the menu.

This leads us to the ideology that all of us have the capability of great leadership (It’s within everyone- the key is to find a way to unleash this dormant potential). The obstacle to overcome is to find a reason to become a great leader. Providing value through leadership will create an atmosphere of contentment amongst those that follow. When people feel as though they have done a job well done, they are inclined to continue to do so, creating continuous loyalty.

“Good leader takes a little more than his share of the blame, a little less than his share of the credit.”—Arnold H Glasow

9 Tips on how to be a great leader

  1. Leaders are confident: Be confident in your knowledge and the lack of as well. When a person nervously says they do not know something, it causes an uncertainty amongst others. If you decide to state lack of understanding something with confidence it is perceived as competence and willingness to seek out the correct answer. To be viewed as confident, it often is equivalent to competence. It is okay not to have all the answers that alone does not make a bad leader.
  2. Leaders are kind: Kindness often is misconstrued as weakness. Kindness is one of the greatest attributes of a leader. In kindness be firm with your decisions as well as your boundaries. Keep condescension to a minimum. No one likes being spoken down to or bossed around. This goes along with creating value, when speaking to others and speaking to them as a valued person they will be encouraged to go above and beyond. They will feel respected. They will feel appreciated.
  3. Leaders are great students: Seek knowledge constantly. When leading others, they will look to you for the answers, so have the answers. Never attempt to fake what you know. If false information is given out and another party knows the correct information it will damage your integrity as a leader. Creating mistrust, which in turn will cause those that currently follow you to no longer want to follow you.
  4. Leaders are decisive: Make a decision and stand by it. When leading others, you have to be sure of the moves you make. Listen to wise counsel and be confident in the final resolution. It would not be wise to become closed-minded and stubborn in your decisions. Often when it comes time to making a final move, emotions can cloud judgments and cause for a rushed outcome. Once your decision is made after much consideration, then it is time to stick to your decision and move forward.
  5. Leaders are tough: Have a thick skin. When in leadership there will be others who despise your position and that will attempt to usurp your authority at any chance they get. The goal is not to ignore it entirely but to hear it and overcome it with grace. Not everyone will agree with the decisions you make as a leader, do not take it personally.
  6. Leaders are visionary: Your vision will excite others and inspire them to follow you as a leader. While it is great to keep in mind the needs and wants of your followers, it is your duty as a leader to know when to make a decision based on the best outcome for the whole. Waiting for the majority vote to come back before making a move can be riskier than just making a decision and going for it.
  7. Leaders believe in the doctrine of genuine concern: Be caring. When leading a group, it is important to care for them and be genuinely concerned. Why would a group of people follow someone who does not care at all about what they feel, need, or think? This alone will gain an immeasurable amount of respect from your followers.
  8. Leaders are great mentors: Begin to mentor others. Leaders will always draw out those who long to glean from their experience. Teaching others the virtue of leadership will show others the security you have within yourself as a leader. Teach others how to be the most effective where they are so when they get to where they want to be they can have the greatest impact.
  9. Leaders formulate, implement and evaluate their actions:Understand the repercussions of your actions. Failure occurs most when there are unforeseen consequences. Take into account every possible outcome for every move you make as a leader. The more you do this with the surety of a leader the stronger you will become in your leadership. Becoming so astute that you can predict certain outcomes before they are disastrous.

True Leaders are True Servant

“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”—Henry Ford

When leading a group, or business, or even an entire organization, it is important to live by a certain set of rules. Improving oneself to benefit the entirety of the group to ensure success. The leader is not seen on a day-to-day basis in certain organizations and companies, but those that are performing daily tasks come into contact with the mundane daily work.

If a leader lacks in an area, it will be the ones below that feel the repercussions. If those below feel underappreciated and taken for granted, there will be a larger number of overturn and will severely impact the success of the business. The best way to keep on track as a leader is to remember the golden rule, treat others, as you want to be treated. With that in mind and remaining steadfast to decision making, those that choose to follow you will continue to trust your judgment and ethics as a leader.

Photo via Adam Kwasman.