Leadership

I was on the plane to San Francisco this morning and I read an article in the NWA World Traveler magazine on leadership. There was one thing that really stood out for me. The article stated that "the ability to find meaning and strength in adversity distinguishes leaders". I really believe this is just scratching the surface. An effective leader not only needs to be able to find meaning and strength in adversity, they need to be able to communicate those findings in a meaningful and useful way to those whom they are leading. A good leader finds meaning and strength while a great leader motivates, teaches and leads their team to greatness from those lessons.

A great leader is also able to assist the individuals on their team identify and grow their strengths. They do not force, they simply nudge them in the right direction toward self fulfillment and ultimately team success.

Here are 6 Tips for Leaders from the article:
• Don't assume anything about a situation; you'll likely be wrong if you rely on your first impression.
• Leaders need to ask questions as often as they give answers.
• Be aware of the lenses you bring to a situation; a leader needs to question himself or herself.
• Learn to rely on others; a leader needs to be able to trust other people.
• When you're new to a leadership situation, find common ground by telling stories and getting people to share theirs.
• Remember that sometimes events can conspire to make you a leader.

After writing those 6 tips I thought of another trait that makes a great leader and that is the ability to make decisions. A great leader can not be wishy washy when it comes to making decisions as this makes others doubt their abilities. They need to be able to make a firm decision based on the information they have available to them.