lion

20 Attributes of a Leader

Jaco Alberts Motivation , ,

The nugget for this week from John L. Mason’s book An Enemy Called Average is based upon 20 facts about leadership. It uses the theme of an old Arab proverb:

  • An army of sheep led by a lion would defeat an army of lions led by  sheep. – Old Arab Proverb

There is not much to discuss about facts, as they are what they are. Therefore I post them as they are in his book.

He starts by asking “what are the actions and attributes of a leader? What is it that makes him different from others?”

Then he continues by giving 20 attributes of a leader:

  1. A leader is always full of praiseIMG_2629
  2. A leader learns to use the phrases “thank you” and “please” on his way to the top.
  3. A leader is always growing.
  4. A leader is possessed with his dreams.
  5. A leader launches forth before success is certain
  6. A leader is not afraid of confrontation.
  7. A leader talks about his own mistakes before talking about someone else’s.
  8. A leader is a person of honesty and integrity.
  9. A leader has a good name.
  10. A leader makes others better.
  11. A leader is quick to praise and encourage the smallest amount of improvement.
  12. A leader is genuinely interested in others.
  13. A leader looks for opportunities to find someone doing something right.
  14. A leader takes others up with him.
  15. A leader responds to his own failures and acknowledges them before others have to discover and reveal them.
  16. A leader never allows murmuring – from himself or others.
  17. A leader is specific in what he expects.
  18. A leader holds accountable those who work with him.
  19. A leader does what is right rather than what is popular.
  20. A leader is a servant.

A leader is a lion, not a sheep.