Leading Well: 4 Leadership Principals

The Blind Leading the Blind

What makes a Great Leader? 4 Leadership Principals

It’s done best from the front, yet many attempt it from the rear, with their whip in hand. It makes me think of the scene from the movie “300″, where the Persian General is whipping the slave soldiers into battle, yelling….”Forward!!!”

1. Lead from the front: We’ve all heard the phrase: “Lead by Example”, but I know that I’m guilty of not doing so in the past. I’ve found, the best way to lead is to start heading in that direction yourself, not to wait for the people to rally behind you first. If you haven’t already experienced this, it’s very disheartening for a leader to be giving you orders, while he’s sitting in the shade and the rest of the crew is baking in the sun. Leading by example, has everything to do with Humility. When you lead by doing, you’re communicating: “I’m just like you guys, no better…we’re on the same level.” When you lead from your arm chair, you’re unconsciously communicating: “I’m better than you guys, you’re below me…now get to work, scum bag.” Don’t do that!

2. Vision: Effective leaders have it. Once you have the vision, you must be able to effectively share it in such a way, that others who are like minded will catch it. A vision is kind of like a road map, it clearly lays out where you’re going. It’s really hard to lead people somewhere, if you don’t know where it is your going. People want to know where they’re going, and when they do, they’re better able to make the decision if that’s where they would like to go or not. It’s simple really.

3. Communication: You must be able to communicate well as a leader, it lies at the very core of leading. Most people never realize that effective communication starts with listening. Once you become skilled at listening, people will begin to sense sincerity about your character and will subconsciously know that they are an important part of the team.

4. Passion: Passion is an essential component that you’ll need in order to 1. Communicate well and 2. Influence others. When you’re passionate about something, others can’t help but take notice, and the ones who are like minded, are more likely to catch onto the vision. You must believe in yourself first, before anyone else will. When someone is passionate about something it’s contagious, it spreads like wild fire. This is because people everywhere are hungry….they’re starving for something to believe in, something that will guide the direction of there life. Your beliefs will always guide the direction of your life.

Leadership isn’t Free

You can’t lead well if you don’t follow well. Everything of purpose has order, and the order to becoming a good leader is that you must first be a good follower. Leading can sometimes have as many challenges as it does rewards. This is why your motivations for leading must always be clearly defined; for it is when things get shaky, you’ll be tempted to quit and it is then you’ll be able to look back on the foundation of why it is you began. Leading will sharpen you and build lasting character that you can pass on to future generations. If you can follow well, and learn to apply these four principals to your life you will be in front of the pack when your time comes to lead.