My personal philosophy on leadership is one that I have been developing over the past several years or so. I have been involved in many groups that promote leadership skills and various character traits of a good leader, such as 4-H, church groups and community outreach programs. My parents often involved my siblings and I in activities that gave us opportunities to learn leadership as young kids. I believe that my personal philosophy on leadership is a culmination of what I have learned in my lifetime through such experiences.
I believe that the word “leader” is used to describe several different persons. There is, first, the person who is born leader. This person has the natural ability to influence people, he tends to be popular and has many friends. Second, there is the person who through personal development has built the character of a leader within himself. Third, there is the person who has been given a position in which he must lead people, whether or not he has or has developed leadership skills. Because of these differences in understanding what a “leader” is, it is challenging to define it. However, the qualities that separate “leadership” from “good leadership”, are what I believe to be the important thing to understand.
Good leadership requires good character. Character is what drives people to strive for something greater than themselves. A good leader should bring the best out in people. I believe that people are seeking something to be a part of. They want to be inspired – they want to be led. I think that there are 4 particular traits that a leader needs to inspire people. Passion, humility, a good attitude and love.
When a person is passionate about something, it stirs up the passion in those around them. It is like something contagious that can transform the working environment of a group. It inspires people to find the passion within themselves and empowers them to be a world changer within their own circle.
Humility is also quintessential in a leader, because as human beings, we all have faults. Only those who are unwilling to admit to them are blind to them. No matter how much we pretend like we have it all together, those around us can often see that we don’t. If we are willing to see our own faults and be humble about them, that raises respect in the eyes of those who are around us, and makes the working environment comfortable and safe.
A good attitude can turn the most unpleasant situation into bearable when seen in a positive light. Opportunities are often missed because of negativity and pessimism. A good leader should exhibit a positive attitude when things look bad or discouraging to maintain the morale of his team.
The most important of all the characteristics about is love. A good leader will learn to love, or care for, the people around him. As we know, a leader is nothing without the people around him. We could even say that without them, he would be nothing. So, a leader will value people and see them as indispensible to his goals or operation, whatever it may be. If he does not love his people, it will be obvious to them, and his attempt to lead them will be ineffective. However, if a leader truly loves those around him, and can express the value he puts in them, he will have many devoted followers.
A good way to assess the performance of a leader is to find out how those who are working for him, or serving under him feel about themselves and the job that they are doing. Do they feel that they are doing a good job? How is there self-esteem? Do they feel that their leader approves of the work that they are doing? Do they enjoy their job?
A good leader will inspire people to be passionate in their work, to enjoy their job, to feel free to express themselves and to be themselves. This is my personal philosophy on leadership, and it is the style of leadership that I try to employ in my own business, and with the people that I interact with on a daily basis. It is what I have observed in my experiences to be an effective approach to leadership; but in keeping with my own advice, I am open to learning new principles about the qualities and characteristics of a good leader.
