Earl Nightingale said it best when he said “A leader is a person who can help and lead others. It’s the conscientious mother who wants her children to grow up knowing the rules of success and happiness. It’s the father who shows by example that any job worth doing is worth doing well. It’s the student who studies to learn, not just get a grade. Who has a mind of his or her own and sets the pace for his or her fellow students. It’s the farmer whose farm sets an example in his area. And the small business man or women whose business continues to grow and prosper with the passing years. It’s the employee who has the good sense to realize that one gets most out of any job by giving loyalty and dedication to the firm who pays his or her wages.”
It’s interesting how in many areas of our life we talk about being a leader or the concept of leadership. Lots of times it has to do with business or getting a new job. I often ask, “What is a leader?” or “What does leadership mean to you?” to friends or acquaintances.
Mainly because I don’t believe most people have a good grasp of what leadership is or what being a great leader entails. You see, it’s not being in a position of leadership like a President of the United States or of a major corporation that automatically promotes a person to the status of a leader.
Being a Leader Takes Work
No, it’s much more than that. Instead it’s more about the kind of person you become or are inside that many times takes years to develop. It’s working on you to become the best you, you can be. Not wishing for things to be easier, but instead wishing for you to become better and stronger at all aspects of your life.
I remember once when outside elements and events would affect my personal attitude in an almost automatic way. Blaming others or circumstances for my dis-satisfaction instead of searching within myself.
Today that doesn’t happen, I’m pretty much in control of my life. And you know what, I’m much happier now and don’t blame others for the bad things that may occur. In fact it seems like I don’t have as many challenges as I used to, but I’m sure the number and severity of today’s challenges haven’t really changed much. It’s just my approach to challenges and circumstances that has changed in a way which makes life much easier.
I once heard, it’s not what happens to you that is important, but instead how you react to what happens to you. And keep this in mind, 90 percent of the things we worry about never happen, 5 percent we can’t change and the 5 percent we can change is the portion of our worries that we can work on, right? Notice the percentages in your own life and you’ll find they are correct.
I believe that having challenges, difficulty, and frustrations is just part of life. You’ll only escape such events once you die and nobody wants that. So what do we have to do? We have to learn how to best handle them once they occur, because they will. And the better we are at being prepared for them when they arrive the better results we will have.
Here is my list of 9 Leadership Traits Found in a Leader:
1) Leading by example, not by dictating to others and doing otherwise. Keeping your word
2) As mentioned above, handling challenges in an appropriate and productive way
3) Helping others to be the best they can be, or bringing out the best in them
4) Being compassionate by showing understanding, love, and guidance to others
5) Mentor and share your skills and knowledge in a giving way
6) Grow everyday by learning something new that will expand your areas of interest and expertise
7) Invest in yourself by reading books and listening or watching something useful daily
8) Surrounding yourself with successful people
9) Work and communicate in a giving and serving way and deliver excellence in what you do
I’d like to conclude with the remainder of Earl Nightingale’s quote and it so powerfully and profoundly says …
“A Leader is any person who realizes the importance of becoming a bigger and better person with the passing of every day, week and month. A leader takes the responsibility of his or her own growth, a planner, a thinker, a doer.”
The road to becoming a leader is a choice away. Make that choice for yourself!
Have a great week,
Kevin (Mister SelfHelp)
Believe Yourself To Success Because Belief Equals Possibility
Learning Things School Never Taught Us On How To Live A Better Life ©
