How To Become A Leader You Admire

As a leadership coach and business consultant I am often asked, “Where are the leaders that we can admire?”

In leadership and other areas, it’s human nature to look for a role model, someone to emulate. Most of the time that means looking up. Who has what I want? Who has the biggest office, the best title, the most money?

But the search should stop. Because you don’t have to look outside yourself, because you can become the kind of leader you want to see in the world. Everyone can.

Leadership has nothing to do with titles or money or offices or clothes. It is an attitude. It is a state of mind. It is a philosophy.

If you want to be a leader that others admire, measure yourself against the following traits:

Admirable leaders are humble. They work hard in silence and let their leadership make the noise, but they don’t shy away from being vulnerable. They apologize for their mistakes. They know pride is concerned with who is right and humility is concerned with what is right.

Admirable leaders listen. They listen actively. We never know what people think until we listen. To listen is to show you care, and it lets you know what to expect.

Admirable leaders have a positive attitude. They are not the people who see only conflict and complexity. They see the good and positivity in everything around them—even problems.

Admirable leaders have a presence. You can recognize immediately that they don’t sound or act like most other people. They don’t set themselves apart or above, but they are distinctive as they are noteworthy.

Admirable leaders encourage and empower. They are of service to others in the most meaningful ways. They encourage others to show their gifts and work from their strengths.

Admirable leaders are genuine. They do what it takes to know themselves. They’ve done their homework—and keep on doing it—in defining who they are by their values, and their lives and leadership are entirely authentic.

Admirable leaders release control. They know control is not leadership. They don’t worry about what they cannot control but focus their efforts where they can make a difference. They’re flexible and adoptable.

Admirable leaders grow new leaders. They believe in grooming new leaders. They coach others to develop and to work on their own potential. The task of great leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there. Great leaders grow more great leaders.

Admirable leaders take meaningful action. They don’t just take action—they take meaningful action. Every word, every deed, every thought matters.

Admirable leaders lead with heart. They embrace a whole-hearted commitment to helping others. Positive change occurs when heartfelt and skillfully courageous leaders seize the opportunity to make things better because they care.

If you can start with this list of ten very important ways to lead, you will certainly become an admirable leader. And we can never have enough of those in the world!.

LEAD FROM WITHIN: Don’t wait for others to become the leaders you want to see in the world but make yourself into a leader others want to admire.

N A T I O N A L   B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

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Additional Reading you might enjoy:

• 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
• A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
• How to Succeed as A New Leader
• 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
• 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
• The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
• The Deception Trap of Leadership

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