If you think you know about Leadership then this might surprise you

One thing to know about leadership is that self-leadership is its starting point. At the heart of self-leadership is the thinking that guides personal development. This thinking also influences you to achieve your goals.

To glide into leadership you need to appreciate two words: Service and Sacrifice. Your mission of self-leadership must be continuous if you’ll influence others. This is because, in the leadership position, people will look up to you for guidance and direction. In other circumstances, the need to give clear instructions would be inevitable.

Acquiring self-leadership principles through personal development will fire up your followers. They’ll imitate your choice of words and your carriage. You would command the respect of your team.
One thing to know about leadership is that people will follow you. If you can prove to them that you have the qualities of a leader they will stay with you.

Following self-leadership principles is proof that you are a leader.

You know about leadership but, what is true leadership

True leadership is not interested. Imbibing self-leadership principles opens the path for you to become a great leader. The attributes of a great leader are not gotten overnight. They are attributes that you gain through the habit of practicing self-leadership principles.

Great leaders do not make excuses and they hold themselves accountable. Great leaders have acquired followers whose hearts and minds are with them. These followers are willing and ready to die for their leader if need be. This is the climax of great leadership.

Now you have known about great leadership, how can one become a great leader? There are certain attributes of leadership that I see in certain individuals. They help me confirm if they are leaders worthy of followership.

These attributes include Self-control, Initiative, Self-confidence, Decision, Self-sacrifice, Courage, Kindness and, Fairness.
Let’s cut to the chase and look at these attributes.

Attributes of leadership

Here are some of the attributes that great leaders exhibit.

A) Self-Confidence

Self-confidence is a vital quality of leadership. A leader is able to speak to his followers in a clear and logical manner. This makes it difficult for his followers to embarrass him. This self-confidence he acquires through knowledge and know-how. The leader is able to impart this knowledge to his followers.

Thus, a leader who aspires to leadership must know. There is no substitute for accurate knowledge for leaders. This is one thing to know about leadership.
One thing I’ll like you to know about leadership is the importance of self-confidence. I cannot emphasize this enough.

Self-confidence will make a leader stick to a course of action as long as his judgment indicates it is the best one. But, this is so he can achieve the desired result.

B) Initiative

Initiative is a mobile force that propels the leader to carry on. It a vital attribute that helps the leader to action at the needed time. Leaders who have initiative know what to do, at the right moment.

C) Self-Control

A leader believes deep down that he is better than each member of his team. But he acts with self-control. This self-control is a vital ingredient of leadership. In times of temporary setbacks, he has self-control not to show a sign of fear.

In the midst of extreme provocation, a leader will never show signs of emotions. A leader who possesses self-control wins admiration and confidence from his followers. A great leader should show no signs of emotional disturbance.

When people strike his temper and his disposition penetrated, he keeps his cool.

Anyone who shows the slightest sign of lack of emotional control has no business in leading men.

Other attributes of Leadership

D) Decision

All great leaders know the value of making a decision. Every great leader knows it is better to decide on a thing and be wrong than hesitating and doing nothing. People will not follow a person who is not sure of himself and who vacillates between issues.

Great leaders who have prepared themselves are ready to take decisions all the time. They do this even when the problem is not anticipated.

E) Self-Sacrifice

One more thing you need to know about leadership is the self-sacrifice attribute. This attribute is one of the pillar of leadership. As a leader, you will be the one to give all the time. It entails you give your time and your whole being for those who follow you.

It requires you to give the totality of your physical and mental being to the team you lead. The attribute of self-sacrifice requires a leader to be there at all times for those they lead. You do not give excuses to those you lead when they need you or even desire your sympathy.

F) Fairness

Fairness is when the leader has a moral duty to give an assessment of a member of his team he dislikes. In this case, the leader goes ahead to give a fair and accurate recommendation. The aim of fairness in leadership is to bring about the general good of the team. It is not about getting back at a team member.

Finally, leadership is also about studying members of your team. It is about understanding their personality and thought patterns. To be on top of your game is to also know yourself. Understand your strengths and weaknesses and then master your field of play.

When you can combine these attributes and put them to use then, you can say you know about leadership. Then you are a leader.

If you found this post useful and aspire to leadership then, I urge you to get my eBook: Purpose and Habits for FREE. It has the potential to liberate you from the misery of failure.