LEADER

Written by

Brij Sachdeva 

The Mark of a True Leader 

Anyone can become a leader, but not everyone has the qualities of a leader. A true leader possesses leadership qualities. On the one hand, a leader has to be able to convince the people of his idea; on the other hand, if he/she cannot convince them, then he/she has to be courageous enough to feel sorry and accept that he may be wrong. A true leader never says no to any challenge that comes his way. He is not disappointed due to failure. He tries again and again and never gives up. A leader should always try to make intimate relationships with his people and be helpful in their difficult times. True leadership happens as a consequence of love, sacrifice, devotion and kindness.

Leadership Qualities 

Self-development

Leadership is a process of self-development. Being genuine to who you are is fundamental to the role of a leader. As a leader, you have to be clear, confident and consistent about your idea of who you are. Self-actualisation is achieved through self-concept clarity, which is a by-product of self-analysis. The more you know yourself, the more you know others. The more you know others, the more you know yourself. This is a kind of feedback loop that enhances self-awareness and self-worth, to become congruent with the ideal self. Therefore, interpersonal communication plays a great role in the process of self-development. True leadership qualities are established when a leader reaches the full potential of self-development where self-concept, self-worth and ideal self all synchronise and become complementary to one another.

Moderation

A true leader is an effective moderator. If a father has one excessively aggressive child and another calm, peaceful, tolerant, and non-violent, his role as a leader is to act as a moderator. If the father possesses true leadership qualities, he tries to calm the aggressive child and, at the same time, encourages the tolerant one to become assertive. But a father lacking leadership qualities goes on giving endless concessions to an aggressive child to avoid conflict, neglecting the needs and rights of the tolerant one, knowing that the tolerant sibling is unlikely to resist.

Vision

A leader sees the big picture and inspires others through his vision. He has a vision about how the world is and how it ought to be.

Integrity

A true leader upholds the principles of honesty, ethics, and consistency without compromise. His/her integrity is less congruent with the variable moral standards of  society but more congruent with his/her own truth. His integrity is the ‘integrity beyond morality’ because his truth is the only priority.

Empathy

Empathy lies at the core of leadership. An effective leader understands people and cares genuinely.

Decision Making

A leader makes confident and timely decisions.

Inspiration

He motivates and encourages others to grow.

Communication

He listens well and communicates clearly. The art of listening is a core leadership quality. Effective listening improves outcomes. 

Responsibility

The leader takes responsibility and leads by example. He sets an example by doing what he expects from others.

Resilience

He stays calm and persistent in challenges.

To be continued…….(still incomplete)