What Qualities Do You Need To Be A Leader

I am often asked, how do I become a better leader?

This question often makes me take a step back. What does make a good leader?

Well, the question has already been answered by Brendon Burchard in his book The Student Leadership Guide:

There are 6 qualities that make a great leader they are:

Envision:

This is the ability to look into your crystal ball and see what it will take for you to succeed.

Leaders have a different vision for the world. They see what the world can be and they advance towards that vision with their work.

Their vision is clear and they are willing to practice their crafts every day to make that vision happen.

It helps leaders understand their vision, goals, and where they are headed in life. The more clear a leader has his or her own image of success the easier it is for them to get there.

Enlist:

Leaders are very charismatic and able to enlist others in their cause.

They have an intense drive that is contagious among those around them. They inspire people to work harder, smarter, and longer than before they met the leader.

A good example of this, Oprah Winfrey inspires everyone she meets by just being herself so powerfully into what she believes in.

Leaders believe that people can improve and they see the potential in others to do great things. They will work hard for you without even being asked too because of their respect for your leadership abilities.

Embody Their Message:

In Tom Peters’ book Mindset, he explains how leaders must embody not just deliver a message.

Leaders must embody their message in order to truly get it across. If a leader just talks about how they want the world to be without doing anything it will sound like nonsense and no one will listen any more than anyone else talking about nothing. Mindset can make all the difference as to whether or not others are willing to listen to you.

Empowerment:

In order for a leader to be successful, they must empower those around them. Leaders cannot do everything by themselves and if they try it will not end well. They need the help of their followers in order to advance forward.

This means leaders have to trust people and give them the room to do what they need in order for the leader’s vision to come into being.

A good example of this is Nelson Mandela empowering his people during apartheid and Martin Luther King Jr. empowered those around him through non-violence and peaceful protest.

Evaluate:

Leaders must always evaluate their work, progress, and followers. They must be constantly assessing their efforts to keep them on track and moving in the right direction. There is no time for complacency when it comes to leadership because if one leader falls another will step up to fill the position.

It takes a lot of work, effort, and evaluation skills but leaders are always working hard at getting better.

Encourage:

Last but not least, leaders must encourage those around them. This is the most important quality of all because it keeps people moving forward even when things get tough. Leaders are there to help their followers through hard times and celebrate with them during good times. They give hope in difficult moments and make everyone feel like they are a part of something special.

Leaders must be encouraging, motivating, and inspiring in order to get the most out of their followers.

If you want to be a successful leader then you need to start practicing these EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Until tomorrow this has been your coach Andy.