Leadership Qualities

This what leaders exactly do. Leadership is about influencing people towards development & change. Leaders are the people with an abundance of self-belief. Let us have a look at some qualities of the great leaders.

While most individuals know that it is important to have a certain amount of confidence in a leadership position, Steve Jobs showcased just how important this was with his own efforts with his products. There is a story when steve jobs wanted a special type of glass for the front of the iPhone and he wanted it quick. When an employee told him it was impossible, Jobs simply said “Yes you can do it. You can deliver, don’t be afraid.” This type of confidence not only in himself and in his products, but also in others is what made Jobs the leader so many know him as today.

As Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “Our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and face the challenge of change.”

To become a good leader it is important to have the ability to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and face the challenge of change.

Martin Luther King Jr., one of the greatest leader in the history of the human race, had an unmatched ability to adapt to any circumstances. Regardless of the cards he and his Movement’s followers were dealt, King deftly adjusted his strategy. From the march from Selma to Birmingham to his Birmingham letter, King was never dispirited in the face of adversity.

As John Quincy Adams puts it, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” If you are successful in inspiring your subordinates, you can easily overcome any current and future challenge easily. Steve Jobs, Abraham Lincoln and all the great leaders used to inspire people around them.

Let’s have a look what Arnold H Glasow has to say about Accountability  “A good leader takes little more than his share of the blame and little less than his share of the credit.”  Holding people around you accountable for their actions will create a sense of responsibility among your subordinates and they will go about the business more seriously.

What separates a leader from the followers? Steve Jobs answers “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” Challenging the ‘status quo’, is what separates the leaders apart from the crowd. Creativity is oxygen of a great leader.

Above all things, a great leader must have a strong vision and this creative vision challenges his subordinates and drives them to act with vision as well. Great leaders always thinks of the future and always have a clear idea of what he wanted to move towards. This was Steve Jobs vision which helped him pull his team together and helped them work towards a common goal whenever he had a new idea for the future of Apple.

Source: Steve Jobs by Walter Issacson, I have a dream by Martin Luther King Jr., achieveiconic.com