Secrets of Leadership Traits

One of the best qualities of a true leader is they know what they don’t know. “I don’t know, followed with – but I will find out” is an answer which you often heard from someone in leadership.

Leadership certainly is intuitive, certainly there is some people are born leaders even if they aren’t very good at leadership, but they attract, and people follow. But a great leader is someone who has the charisma to produce followers and the humbleness to be accountable to outside knowledge and to admit to their knowledge gaps.

In our lives, most true leadership we see one on one ourselves, in something we are personally involved in. Someone in our field of endeavor who shines, and we recognize their ability.

Here are some some traits to look for in a leader that is worth following. (not to be confused with a leader in a field, say of ideas, who just happens to know more or be clever than others)

1) Character. If we are talking someone who deserves to be followed, not obeyed blindly, or submitted to because of power, but followed because they offer leadership, then character is paramount. And character is many things, but we all recognize it when we are around it.

2) Their followers – Darren Monroe says of Twitter the key is in the followers not the following. Who do you attract, who do they attract?

3) Their knowledge of the endeavor they are leading.They must know more than the followers, and/or be willing to find out more than the followers. And work harder than the followers.

4) Experience – Whats the best way through a minefield? Follow someone who has been there before (and is still alive)




5) Ability- in the endeavor. They must have true ability in this endeavor, it cant be theoretical

6) Accepts fully all consequences of their actions, as their responsibility
However ultimately, we find that the leader we trust the most is not always the one who knows more, or has the best ability – they key is that the leader is unafraid to take charge, will accept all responsibility of their actions and is somewhere accountable to something larger than themselves, and is willing to hear and respond to dissent from that accountable power.
It is said the key characteristics of success are:-

* the willingness to listen

* the willingness to communicate

* the ability for absolute focus on the task at hand

* and most important-the ability and willingness to be accountable and in submission.(that is in submission to something greater than they are. And if they have the most knowledge in a field then to be in submission to a group of like minded individuals who hold them accountable to honesty and character and overall direction)

In our lives, leaders or no leaders we excel to the degree we allow a circle of influence hold us accountable.