"Leadership is Action not Position".
What is a true leader? True leaders listen without being condescending. They are willing to hear what others have to say without rushing to judgment. They are patient and genuine in their desire to understand the thoughts and feelings of the people they lead.
True leaders are forthright with their people. They communicate openly and often.
How do we know that a leader is a true leader?
A true leader allows employees to make their own decisions so that they can learn from their mistakes. ... A true leader makes decisions together with them team, trusting them enough to see them as equal experts in the field. A true leader encourages employees to use their creativity to innovate the status quo.
Every one of us is a leader in our own right. Whether we lead an entire company, or a team of people, or a group of friends, or our families, or just ourselves…we are all leaders in some form or fashion. Whatever size our circle of influence may be today, if we work to improve as leaders, that circle of influence will enlarge.
The Characteristics Of A True Leader:
1)“True leaders understand that leadership is not about them but about those they serve. It is not about exalting themselves but about lifting others up.”
True leaders use their time wisely. That doesn’t mean they can’t take time for leisure and fun, it simply means they do their best not to waste the time they have. They are selfless and they work tirelessly to help make their team a success.
2)True leaders hold themselves and their people accountable. They hold themselves to a high standard so they can hold their people to a high standard as well.
3)True leaders keep things in perspective. They don’t rush into making short term decisions that will benefit their organization today only to cause even greater problems in the future. They try to take all the facts into account, keeping a long-term view in their approach, with the desire that any fixes they put in place today will be to the benefit of the organization and the people both now and in the future.
4)True leaders delegate. They give important and specific tasks to their people that will allow their people to learn and grow in their positions. Often times it would far easier for the leader to simply do the task them self. They could get it done more quickly, effectively, and exactly to their liking. However, true leaders understand that doing so allows no growth for the people they are leading, and therefore they see their greatest role as a delegator and a teacher to the people they lead.
5)True leaders don’t control their people, they inspire them to do great things. They give them the values and rules, which set the boundaries to operate within. Then they encourage people to go out and make choices on their own. True leaders understand that employees cannot grow and progress until they are given the freedom to make choices, to try things, and yes, even to make a few mistakes so they can learn from those and improve.
6)True leaders have integrity. Integrity is the very core of their influence. Living the values they profess to believe is what gives them credibility and allows others to place their trust in them. True leaders are able to say “do as I do” rather than just “do as I say”, because they lead by example.
7)True leaders work right alongside the people they lead in order to get to know and care about the people they are leading. Working with people allows leaders to lift and inspire their team.
8)True leaders know who they are and what they stand for. They know their values and the rules they will abide by, regardless of the circumstances they face. They allow their people to understand the values they are committed to uphold, which lays a foundation for the rules their people will be expected to adhere to. True leaders both know and communicate their values openly with the people they lead, creating an atmosphere of certainty and trust.
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