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1-Page Summary of The Truth About Leadership
Distilling Leadership to Its Essence
Changes in the economy, technology and workplaces have transformed the details of leadership. However, all these changes haven’t changed the fundamentals of leadership. These fundamentals include systems, actions and attitudes that will help leaders succeed. Data shows that there are 10 truths about leadership:
1. “You Make a Difference”
Leadership starts with a belief that you can do something that matters. Some people, like Melissa from Nashville, Tennessee are great leaders because they believe in themselves and what they want to accomplish. She was concerned about the environment so she wrote a letter to President George H. W. Bush asking him to fight pollution. She also started an organization by writing letters and recycling paper at school, which eventually became national on its own accord. Her actions show us how we can be great leaders too if we have faith in ourselves and our abilities.
It’s important to have role models that inspire and help you grow as a leader. Most of them are family members, teachers or coaches. You can also find role models at work or in your community. The most important person to be a good role model is yourself because you’re the one who supervises others on a daily basis. Use “The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership” as an example for how you should behave with your team:
2. “Credibility Is the Foundation of Leadership”
Leadership starts with the belief in yourself. It endures because others believe in you. People follow more eagerly, with more enthusiasm and commitment if their leaders prove credible and reliable. The most desirable characteristics of leaders are:
To be an honest leader, you must tell the truth and live by certain ethical beliefs. You should also understand your own strengths and weaknesses as well as those of others. As a forward-looking leader, you must provide followers with a vision for the future that everyone can work towards achieving together.
Inspirational leaders share energy and excitement, motivate their troops, and get things done. They also inspire confidence in others by getting things done. Leaders who have credibility are able to do what they say will be done.
3. “Values Drive Commitment”
To be a successful leader, you need to know yourself. You have to understand what matters most to you and why it matters. This will help guide your decisions in life, as well as give others an idea of who you are and why they should follow you. In order to identify your values, think about events that shaped the way you are now, beliefs that guide the choices you make on a daily basis and goals that define who you are. Once this is done, find out how these things align with those of other people so that everyone’s working towards common goals within the organization.
4. “Focusing on the Future Sets Leaders Apart”
Leaders are able to see long range, act on that vision, and stick with it even through hard times. They can motivate their people to share the contribution toward making this dream a reality. You need that kind of vision in order to succeed as a leader. If you want your employees (and everyone else) behind you, they have to believe in what you’re trying to do or accomplish. This ranks second after honesty when people rate what leaders should possess according to them; however 70% of survey participants value this quality in leaders that they would willingly follow compared the other characteristics competency related skills the public looks for in its executives/professionals.
Try to find more time to think about the future. Start by thinking back on your past and considering recurring themes or subjects that have been important in your life. Imagine how you can apply those ideas in the future, and establish a “futures research committee” to learn about trends in your field. Always continue to hope, even when faced with difficult situations like economic predictions; try not to let these things get you down, but instead turn them into opportunities for survival through uncommon solutions.
