Six Factors That Make a Leader

What is leadership? 

Every one of us is a leader in our own right. We all lead at some point in our life. We serve as leaders in our jobs, in our communities, and in our families. For many, being a leader means having the power to control others. Those who take this view eventually find that the more they try to control people, the less influence they have over them. For others, leadership means being in a position of authority. True leadership is not about superiority, position, or prestige. It’s about revealing and releasing the potential of those around you. Leadership is not about the power of one, but facilitating the greatness of many. Hence true leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence, and that cannot be mandated. It must be earned. I have been in positions of leadership since 20plus years, some lessons I learned the hard way, through trial and error followed by the humility that comes from overcoming those mistakes. Other lessons I learned through observing those I esteemed to be great leaders whose example I sought to follow. Through it all I found several traits that I believe are necessary for someone to be what I consider a true leader: Here are some of their most important characteristics:

1. Purpose and Vision

Great leaders have Vision and Purpose … They can see into the future. The greatest leaders of our time could articulate a vision so clear it seemed as though it had already come to pass. Good leaders discover a purpose and create a vision, articulate the vision, passionately own the vision, and relentlessly drive it to completion. They have a clear, exciting plan of where they are going and what they are trying to accomplish and are excellent at strategic planning.

The purpose and vision of a true leader shall be to elevate mankind’s trust, and to fill the world with righteousness. Great leaders focus on the big picture and can describe that picture to their colleagues, subordinates, business partners, and customers. They understand the long-term effects of the tasks that need to be completed today, the desired outcomes of those tasks, and how to communicate the immediate needs of the business in terms of their future vision. Generally, very few people know what they want, much less how to get there, so they will gravitate towards those who appear to have a clear picture in mind--good clarity leads to great achievement.

 Leaders have purpose for their actions and what they influence. Leaders seek what is best for the group and not what is best for the individual. Leaders are inherently selfless and hardworking. They are driven by their conviction and purpose and resonates the passion in their vision statements. I believe that a great leader knows the “why” behind the “what” that they are doing. They also have the ability to help other people catch the vision of the “why” so they can accomplish the “what”. That’s a lot of “why’s” and “what’s”! I’ve always been inspired when I’m around people who have conviction and clarity in purpose. When the cause is just and you have a leader who can share the vision of the cause, special things happen.

In our secular society, we tend to think of a leader as a person who is well-connected, who is powerful or charismatic or wealthy. We judge our leaders by what they have. But a true leader should be judged by what he has not — ego, arrogance, and self-interest.  A true leader sees his work as selfless service toward a higher purpose. Leadership is action. The vision is the articulation of the action to get to where the group needs to go. The vision should be well defined and effectively communicated. Leadership success always starts with vision. Henry Ford dreamed of a car families could afford. Steve Jobs dreamed of an easy-to-use computer that would unleash creativity. Nelson Mandela dreamed of an integrated, prosperous South Africa.

2 Principles and Values

Leaders are defined by their inner strengths and convictions, not the outer portrayal of who they are. Your character will determine your level of leadership and your legacy. Living on principle is one essential that will help you lead well and finish well. There are three elements of being a principled leader: decisiveness, dedication, determination, discipline, sincerity, humility, and integrity.

Want to know if you possess these three valuable principles? Start searching your speech for phrases like, “I’m sorry,” “thank you” and “I trust you.” Listen for patterns of “we” and “us” versus “I” and “my.”

Practice the art of these principles and establish an accountability system to help keep you grounded. No one likes a leader with a big head. It’s been said that following is easy, but leading is difficult. That is no doubt true.

The value of integrity as a foundational leadership virtue is inestimable. When you say what you mean and mean what you say, people will trust you implicitly and generally respond in kind. As a leader, it’s important to raise the bar high by personally modelling a standard of truthfulness that demonstrates your deepest morals and values mirror your organizations mission.

3.Persistence and Passion

First, leaders are extremely persistent people. They have absolute confidence and belief in themselves and they never let rejections or any obstacles for that matter slow them down. If you research any of their stories you will see that this is a trait they unilaterally all share. Leaders believe that what they do is important and purposeful. The belief is the conviction that drives the leader’s Persistence and Passion. The conviction is communicated in the vision and nearly every statement of the leader. There's nothing more inspirational than seeing someone who cares about what they do--the best leaders exhibit boundless energy and passion for what they do.

People want to work with leaders who truly care about the work they’re doing and wholeheartedly believe they are making a positive difference in the world. You must lead by example and obtain management skills that inspire others to join you in building a great company. Entrepreneurs who exemplify this vision in their day-to-day work lives convey that excitement to those with whom they work, who in turn draw energy from their commitment. Your job is to maintain a happy work environment and continue leading your team with passion and enthusiasm

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Good leaders have a passion for the work they do and feel it is important. Once they have made up their mind, they don't hesitate to commit--it's all hands on deck. They show great consistency with their decisions, rarely backing out or changing their minds unless it is absolutely necessary. Being Persistence shows commitment, a quality very high in demand for a great leader. Sharing that passion and enthusiasm with followers can help you motivate your people to become more productive. Praising your people when they do a good job can be a natural extension of passion. If you dream of becoming a true leader, then you’ve got to find what you love to do. If you don’t, you’ll never have the tenacity and fortitude to stick with it through all the tough times ahead.

4. Professional Standards and Communication Skills

Good leaders are also great communicators. Good leaders model and uphold high ethical business standards and practices at all levels of an organization. They clearly communicate expectations through policies and procedures that promote ethical behavior. Good leaders are creative and support continuous growth in themselves and others and encourage continuous process improvement. Perhaps most important are the courage to take risks, make difficult decisions and accept accountability for their actions and those who report to them. Standing at the front of the parade doesn't make someone a leader. That only happens if others follow behind, and most people don't want to follow someone unless they're sure the leader knows the way.

Strong leaders know how to communicate effectively with staff at both higher and lower levels in the company. Understanding how to clearly explain tasks and projects to staff while communicating the importance of your department’s work to administrators is a crucial skill that takes practice. Good communicators keep staff informed when changes or updates to projects occur, are readily available to staff and hold regular meetings to ensure that all team members are aware of the status of projects.

Strong leaders use listening, speaking and writing skills and keep communication open, honest and genuine at all levels of the organization. They communicate a mission, vision and values and share information often, openly, clearly and with confidence and passion. Their messages convey integrity and honesty, and they consistently convey an attitude of dignity and respect for all individuals, instilling trust among their followers in their ability to lead with the best interests of the individual in mind. They inspire a spirit of teamwork and collaboration and communicate the importance of diversity, innovation and shared outcomes.

"Communication is the real work of leadership,ocumented the importance of persuasion in his 1992 bookBeyond the Hype: Rediscovering the Essence of Management. Nohria believes effective leaders are masters of the classical elements of rhetoric, as outlined by Aristotle centuries ago. "You can reach people through logos or logic, by appealing to their sense of what is rational," he explains. "You can use pathos, appealing to their emotions, or you can make an argument based on their sense of values or ethos." Great leaders, he notes, "spend the bulk of their time communicating, and they know how to employ all three of Aristotle's rhetorical elements."

Never passing the buck: If you are -- or want to be -- a leader, you must always remember that there is no passing the buck. When final decisions have to be made, they must be made with confidence, clarity, and decisiveness. Never passing the buck: If you are -- or want to be -- a leader, you must always remember that there is no passing the buck. When final decisions have to be made, they must be made with confidence, clarity, and decisiveness.

Leadership is the capacity to influence and inspire others motivated by a vision, generated by a passion, produced by a belief and created by a purpose.

5. Positive Attitude and Creativity

You want to keep your team motivated towards the continued success of the group and keep the energy levels up. Whether that means providing motivation, advice, or even just an occasional celebration in the office, remember that everyone on your team is a person. Keep the office mood a fine balance between productivity and liveliness.

Some decisions will not always be so clear-cut. You may be forced at times to deviate from your set course and make an on the fly decision. This is where your creativity will prove to be vital. It is during these critical situations that your team will look to you for guidance and you may be forced to make a quick decision. As a leader, its important to learn to think outside the box and to choose which of two bad choices is the best option. Don’t immediately choose the first or easiest possibility; sometimes its best to give these issues some thought, and even turn to your team for guidance. By utilizing all possible options before making a rash decision, you can typically reach the end conclusion you were aiming for.

6. People skills and Strategic Thinking

To be an effective leader, you need a combination of people skills and Strategic Thinking. Good leaders understand and stay focused on where an organization is headed and are committed to its long-term success and the success of everyone involved. Good leaders align their activities to a clearly defined mission and vision and make strategic decisions based on sound data and proven practices. They understand the culture and demographics of an organization and external influences -- such as politics, economics, legislation, the marketplace and the community -- and their potential impact on 

Good leaders are happy to see others thrive, they feel they are part of that success, and that’s why they work to help them grow and develop. They worry about the people around them and want the best for them because that has an effect on the team. No leader is born a leader, and passion for the people does not need to be genuine either. But a good leader can work with soft skills to acquire this trait, essential to a successful leadership.

Good leaders always tend to look ahead and look for the next step. They are never satisfied with the “status quo” of things and are constantly trying to improve the world around them. They leave work each day while thinking what can be done even better tomorrow. Take Elon Musk as an example -- today we have PayPal, SpaceX and Tesla Motors all because he tried to make online payments easier, space exploration cheaper, space ships reusable and driving more environmentally friendly and safer. Smarts may not be everything, but I’ve never known a successful leader who lacked intelligence, critical-thinking skills, and a genuine thirst for knowledge.

Great leaders are outstanding at Strategic planning. It’s another one of the more important leadership strengths. They have the ability to look ahead, to anticipate with some accuracy where the industry and the markets are going.

Leaders have the ability to anticipate trends, well in advance of their competitors. They continually ask, “Based on what is happening today, where is the market going? Where is it likely to be in three months, six months, one year, and two years?” They do this through thoughtful strategic planning.

Because of increasing competitiveness, only the leaders and organizations that can accurately anticipate future markets can possibly survive. Only leaders with foresight can gain the “first mover advantage.”

Commitment to people

Good leaders understand that success isn’t possible without the help of their employees. Providing ample training opportunities for your staff and expressing your confidence in their work lets them know that you are invested in them. Strong managers avoid the urge to perform every part of a project themselves, but allow employees to make decisions, prioritize tasks and plan projects. Leaders who are committed to their teams try to ensure that all employees are treated equally and that preferential treatment is not given to a particular employee or employees.

Team Building

Encouraging employees to work together, rather than competitively, can result in higher productivity and improved morale. Encouraging a cooperative atmosphere and group problem solving will help you ensure that your department completes tasks on time without personal conflicts. Asking for input from employees regarding departmental functions and procedures can help them feel that they are an important part of your team.