Who is a leader and what is leadership?
Leadership qualities a Leader should possess
Leaders are a beacon of change. They question ideas and give answers to questions nobody wants to. And it is not easy. Most of us would not even dare to tread on these thin ropes that hang stretched thin between the pillars of right and wrong. But people need leaders to show them, what is indeed right. That is where your leadership abilities come into play, and even the world of leaders has rules. To be the leader you want to be, you need to follow some principles of leadership that will help you stay sane in the midst of people who continuously look up to you.
The Act of Helping Each Other
This is a selfish world no doubt. It is not hard to find people who prefer living for themselves in the shroud of complete disregard of others. Marcus Aurelius believes that we came into this world for the sake of one another and we were meant to live, survive, and thrive in harmony. Being a leader, you should try to instill the realization in people that life is not just about themselves. Leaders should become guardians of their followers and inspire them to help each other. And when this thought finds its ground in an organization, there is a wide horizon for growth.
Be a Leader, not a God
Leaders are humans, and humans make mistakes. Every leader should try to make sure that they do not over-exalt themselves for when they do so, they reduce the waiver for mistakes, which small or big, humans are bound to make, and so are leaders. Be humble to yourself and your followers and try to rectify the mistakes they make. This will help you gain closure about your followers and beget respect in their minds for you.
Control over Self
A leader can make mistakes but cannot lose control. It is natural and human to react rashly to an offence, but it is not a solution. To keep yourself and your emotions in control, always remember that life is short and it is ending one moment at a time. So, what use is it to hang on to petty issues and wallow in rage. Nothing good ever comes out of rage. Instead, a leader should try to analyse the situation with a tranquil mind and then make a constructive move to solve it.
Kindness is an invincible Weapon
Sincere kindness is not an easy aspect of life to attain. It takes immense strength to put aside your ego and deal with kindness. Compassion makes you stronger than your adversary and keeps you going ahead with self-respect. If somebody tries to do you wrong, you should treat them with kindness, and they will stop, either with a sense of self-respect or out of shame.
Understand Ignorance
A person can take a decision that might not be in your interest. But that does not mean you go right after them. Because that will only make you a part of his league. Try to understand the reason for the offensive act for it could be out of one’s right too. People can take decisions that are morally correct as per them. But if there is a disgrace in action, and if it happens repeatedly then you must understand that it is out of sheer ignorance, and the person does not care about anything. Such people are meant to be punished educationally.
Conclusion
As developing the leadership abilities, you must always put yourself in the shoes of your team members and make a positive and whole hearted effort to understand that their team comprises of people like you and believe that they can do great things with the right guidance. By keeping yourself grounded and approaching problems with more composed emotions and logical understanding, you can lead your team to perfection you want to achieve.