Leadership

Successful leaders have always put service first. They place the good of the organization they lead above personal goals and view success as reflected glory, measured by the accomplishments of their colleagues. In today's world, fascinated with celebrity and its trappings, this, more than any other attribute, is most threatened with extinction. This trait, however, is the cornerstone of great leadership.

A successful leader has the ability to see where the organization needs to go and to articulate that direction in a way that inspires people. The vision needs to be rooted in meaningful values, or it will inspire no one.

There are many management styles that successfully convey a vision and create movement, but a leader must first have the courage to realize and admit the organization must actually transform and then identify and instill in the organization a willingness to transform. There will always be a reason for not making a change: a true leader has the conviction to say, yes, we need to go in that direction.

Communication is one of the most important tools a leader has. How do you motivate an entire group or organization? Providing incentives is one way, but successful leaders are also able to articulate and frame the issues in a way that their audience can understand and relate to and in a way that respects the audience. In the end, a leader must win hearts and minds.

Successful leaders understand the direction their organization is headed, and know where the opportunities are coming from, as well as the threats. They believe passionately in the cause and values of the organization and the people they are trying to motivate need to believe that it is a passion they can share and that it is sincere and not just an empty slogan.

Gifted leaders empathize with others and appreciate their ideas and concerns. Talented leaders are always willing to learn. It is this curiosity and desire to investigate that makes them successful. Most successful leaders have also experienced failure. They have confronted it and come to terms with the humbling nature of the experience. They have learned the limits of what they can and can't do.

A leader needs to possess the communicative, creative and reflective strengths of the arts and sciences, along with the analytical, technological and problem solving strengths of business and meld these together to develop a commitment to serve.