21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader
By John Maxwell
Adversity is a crossroads that makes a person choose one of two paths: character or compromise.
Commitment starts in the heart; commitment is tested by action; commitment opens the door to achievement
Developing excellent communication skills is absolutely essential to effective leadership the leader must be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others. If a leader can’t get a message across clearly and motivate others to act on it, then having a message doesn’t even matter. – Gilbert Emilio
Educators take something simple and make it complicated. Communicators take something complicated and make it simple. – John Maxwell
Be clear as a bell. Short and direct, fewest words possible, simplicity and clarity.
Meet people where they are, and you will be a better communicator.
Live your message.
Competence is the leaders ability to say it, planet, and do it in such a way that others know that you know how – and know that they want to follow you. – John Maxwell
The person who knows how will always have a job, but the person who knows why will always be the boss.
When you think about people who are competent, you’re really considering only three types of people: those who can see what needs to happen, those who can make it happen, and those who can make things happen when it really counts.
Courage is fear that has said its prayers – Karl Barth, Swiss theologian
Courage is contagious. What a brave man takes a stand this spines of others are stiffened.
Those who don’t take chances worry about trivial things.
A 19th-century circuit writing preacher named Peter cart right was preparing to deliver a sermon one Sunday when he was warned that Pres. Andrew Jackson was in attendance, and he was asked to keep his remarks inoffensive. During that message, included the statements: I have been told that Andrew Jackson is in the congregation. And I have been asked to guard my remarks. What I must say is that Andrew Jackson will go to hell if he doesn’t repent of sin.
After the sermon Jackson strode up to Cartwright. Sir, the president said, if I had a regiment of men like you, I could whip the world.
Smart leaders believe only half of what they hear. Discerning leaders know which have to believe – John Maxwell
The first rule of holes: when you’re in one, stop digging. – Molly Ivens, columnist
If you chase two rabbits, both will escape. – Unknown
A leader who knows his priorities but lacks concentration knows what to do but never gets it done.
If you’re through growing, you’re through.
When the trainer holds the stool with the legs extended for the Lions face, the animal tries to focus on all four legs at once. And that paralyzes him. Divided focus always works against you.
Your candle loses nothing when it lights another.
No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave. Calvin Coolidge, American Pres.
The only way to really when the money is to hold it loosely – and be generous with it to accomplish things of value. As E. Stanley Jones said, money is a wonderful service but a terrible master. If it gets on top and you get under it, you’ll become enslaved.
Writer John Bunyan affirmed, you have not lived today until you have done something for someone who could never repay you.
Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit. Conrad Hilton.
Of all the things a leader should fear, complacency should head the list. – John Maxwell
If you’re going to be an effective leader, you’ve got to know what you want. That’s the only way you’ll recognize opportunity when it comes.
As someone once said, everyone has a great idea in the shower. But only a few people step out, dry off, and do something about it.
But before a leader can coach a person’s heart, he has to know what’s in it. He learns that my list. An unwillingness to listen to common among poor leaders.
To add Growth, Lead followers – to multiply, lead leaders.
Nobody can be successful unless he loves his work.
The answer is passion. Nothing can take the place of passion in a leaders life.
A leader with great passion and skills always outperforms leader with great skills and no passion.
The truth is that you can never lead something you don’t care passionately about. You can’t start a fire in your organization unless one is first burning in you.
You won’t become passionate until you believe passion can be the difference maker in your life.
If you lost your fire, get around some fire lighters. Passion is contagious.
Your people are a mirror of your attitude – who you are is who you attract.
If you look at Edison’s life, you can see that his positive attitude and enthusiasm not only fueled him but also inspired his people to keep pressing on until they succeeded.
The thing that separates good players from great ones as mental attitude. It might only make a difference of two or three points in an entire match but how you play those key points often makes the difference between winning and losing. If the mind is strong you can do almost anything you want.
Effective leaders, like Sam Walton, always rise to challenge. That’s one of the things that separates winners from whiners.
When a mission organization wrote Livingston about sending helpers and asked him have you found a good road to where you are, Livingston replied, if you have men who will come only if they know there is a good girl, I don’t want them. I want and then will come even if there is no routing all.
If you never try, fail, and try again, you’ll never be good at it.
Relationships: If you get along, they’ll go along
1. Have a leader’s head-understand people. If you deal with every customer in the same way, you only close 25% of deals. But if you learn how to effectively work with people you can conceivably close 100% of your deals. You have to be able to adapt your leadership style to the person you’re leading.
2. Have a leader’s heart – love people.
3. Have a leader’s hand – help people. If your focus is on what you can put into people rather than what you can get out of them, the love and respect you.
One millionaire was asked why he worked 12 to 14 hours a day. He answered, it took me 15 years, working for a large organization, to realize that in our society work eight hours a day for survival, and if you work only eight hours a day, all you do is survive… Everything over eight hours is an investment in your future. No one could do the minimum and reached his maximum potential.
If you want to meet, you’ve got to produce.
When an archer misses the mark he turns and looks for the fault within himself. Failure to hit the bull’s-eye is never the fault of the target. To improve your aim, prove yourself.
No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it. Andrew Carnegie
Takers do not make good leaders.
When followers are undermined and received no recognition, they become discouraged and eventually stopped performing at their potential. And when that happens, the entire organization suffers.
Self-discipline: the first person you lead is you.
The first and best victory is to conquer self. – Plato
Jerry Rice is a perfect example of the power of self-discipline. No one achieves and sustained success without it. No matter how gifted a leader is, his gifts will never reach their max potential without the application of self-discipline.
To be successful, self-discipline can’t be a one time event. It has to become a lifestyle.
If you lack self-discipline, you may be in the habit of having dessert before eating your vegetables.
A nursery in Canada displays the sign on its wall: the best time to plant a tree is 25 years ago… The second best time is today. Plant the tree of self-discipline in your life today.
You’ve got to love your people more than your position. – John Maxwell
Great leaders see the need, seize the opportunity, and serve without expecting anything in return.
If your attitude is to be served rather than to serve, you may be headed for trouble.
If you want to lead on the highest level, be willing to serve on the lowest.
Teachability: to keep leading, keep learning
As long as you’re green, you’re growing. As soon as you’re right, you start to rot.
If we keep learning, we must also keep making mistakes.
You cannot be prideful and teachable at the same time.
To gain growth, give up your pride.
If you don’t like the crop your reaping, check the seed you are sowing.
If you want to be a champion tomorrow, be teachable today.
Vision leads the leader. It paints the target. It sparks and fuels the fire within, and draws him forward. It is also the fire lighter for others who follow that leader. Show me a leader without vision, and I’ll show you someone who isn’t going anywhere. At best he is traveling in circles.
True vision is far-reaching. It goes beyond what one individual can accomplish. If you have a vision that doesn’t serve others, it’s probably too small.
One of the most valuable benefits of vision is that it acts like a magnet – attracting, challenging, and uniting people.
To find the vision that is indispensable to leadership, you have to become a good listener.
Discontent with the status quo is a great catalyst for vision. Are you on complacent cruise control? Or do you find yourself itching to change your world? No great leader in history has fought to prevent change.
Nobody can accomplish great things alone. To facilitate vision, you need a good team. If you want to lead others to greatness, find a mentor.
A truly valuable vision must have God in it.
Also think about what you’d like to see change in the world around you. What do you see that isn’t – but could be? Once your ideas start to become clear, right them down and talk to a mentor about them.
