“In my opinion and in no particular order, these are the essential qualities a person must develop and possess to exhibit leadership qualities and ultimately have the opportunity to become a leader.
Loyalty, both from a leader to the followers and from the followers to the leader.
Courage, a leader must be fearless and willing to accept the risks of leadership.
Desire, a leader must want to lead.
Emotional Stamina, a leader must be able to quickly bounce back from disappointment and have the courage to endure difficult circumstances.
Mental Stamina, a leader must be able to think through situations, possibilities and consequences before they occur as well as when they occur and be relentless and forward-thinking in thought and strategy.
Physical Stamina, a leader must have endurance. A healthy body supports a healthy mind. A leader overcomes fatigue.
Empathy, a leader must develop an appreciation for, and an understanding of, the values of others and for their cultures, beliefs, values, aspirations, goals and traditions.
Decisiveness, a leader has to know when to act and when not to act. Procrastination and vacillation are confusing and discouraging and indicate weakness.
Anticipation, a leader must anticipate thoughts, actions and consequences.
Timing, a leader knows when to time recommendations and actions. Even when a recommendation or action is clear, the timing of what recommendation or action can make the difference between success and failure.
Competitiveness, a leader has to have an intrinsic desire to win; not all of the time, only when it is important, and always when it is critical.
Self-confidence, a leader must have a personal feeling of assurance with which to meet the challenges of leadership. This is not to be confused with arrogance.
Responsibility, a leader must accept full responsibility for his actions and readily admit when he is wrong or makes a mistake.
Accountability, a leader must never heap praise or lay blame on others for success or failure, but rather be personally accountable for personal action.
Credibility, a leader’s words and actions must be believable to friends and foes. A leader must have the intelligence and integrity to provide correct and factual information.
Tenacity, a leader must have an unyielding drive to accomplish assignments, even in the face of deception and/or discouragement. A leader never quits, he judiciously retreats, but does not surrender.
Dependability, a leader must be depended upon to carry out his roles and responsibilities in all situations and events.
Stewardship, a leader must be the caretaker of the interests and well-being of those he leads and the purposes they serve. Team members should be guided, developed and rewarded for performance and never punished except as a last resort.
Respect, a leader must earn the respect of his team. Respect has to be earned, not demanded or commanded. By developing the previous attributes, a leader earns respect. A leader must also show respect for members of his team.
Finally, you must show up. When it comes to true leadership, you must be present to win.
It takes time to develop these attributes. Learning and experience are both key contributors to developing these qualities. There are few, if any, shortcuts, but sometimes a rare opportunity arises in which you can accelerate competence, but rarely without paying a price, usually by making a monumental mistake and learning quickly.”
Make it a great day!