AN EFFECTIVE LEADER

AN EFFECTIVE LEADER MUST BE:

Strong enough to be weak

Successful enough to fail

Busy enough to make time

Wise enough to say "I don''t know"

Serious enough to laugh

Rich enough to say "I'm wrong"

Compassionate enough to discipline

Mature enough to be childlike

Important enough to be last

Planned enough to be spontaneous

Controlled enough to be flexible

Free enough to endure captivity

Knowledgeable enough to ask questions

Loving enough to be angry

Great enough to be anonymous

Responsible enough to play

Assured enough to be rejected

Victorious enough to lose

Industrious enough to relax

Leading enough to serve

(Brewer, as cited by Hansel, 1987)

Leaders Should Acquire Skills and Knowledge

Leaders are made or born? This is not an issue. The true leader ignores such arguments and instead concentrates on developing the leadership qualities necessary for success. Either made or born, if they are able to increase their skills in displaying these five quality characteristics, they will make it easier for people to follow them.

The less time leaders have to spend on getting others to follow them, the more time they have to spend refining exactly where they want to go and how to get there. The five leadership traits are namely,

· Honest and Truthful

· Forward and Visionary Thinking

· Competent and Trustworthy

· Inspiring and Energizing

· Intelligent and Adaptable