Are you the tortoise or the hare? If you said “hare”…. and you know the parable, then you know you will not succeed. Why’d you say that? You are going to be passed by the focused tortoise. Did you say “tortoise”…. sorry but you are not likely to win the race either. Surprise!
You see the parable got it wrong. We assume that the tortoise and the hare are the only participants in this race. If we do, we miss the real winner in the race to success- the person who has the focus of the tortoise and skill of the hare.
Think about yourself, think about your co-workers, and now think about a person you look up to who is succeeding and leading the way. Is that person slow and methodical but persistent or is that person fast and scattered? My guess is that he has qualities of both- fast and persistent. This mythical animal who actually wins the race is a leader. Here are 15 traits every winner must cultivate- the leader is:
- Creative- In the world of leadership the leader must have the ability to think outside the box and see opportunities before they become apparent to others in their industry. They stay ahead of the competition because they think creatively.
- Honest- The successful have a strict adherence to a code of ethics and honesty. They exhibit a courageous attitude and speak directly and clearly.
- Inspirational- To lead you need to inspire. You will cannot conquer the mountain alone, you need your support team. This is one thing I really respect about cyclists in major races like the Tour De France. Each cyclist on the team has a role and each must function at expert level for the leader to win.
- Teachable- Ever learning and increasing in ability. I recently told my daughter to study hard and work hard in school but not to focus too much on picking a career. Chances are by the time she enters the work force the career she had picked would no longer exist and the one she’ll end up with hasn’t yet been created. Knowledge and skills are evolving so quickly that an ability to continuously learn and improve will be invaluable.
- Delegate- A leader has the ability to enlist the troops and share the workload. Every participant of a team should be functioning in roles that they are ideally suited to. The leader shouldn’t be stuffing envelopes and the new hire shouldn’t be calling on the most influential client.
- Admits mistakes and (when appropriate) laughs- No leader is perfect and every leader will make mistakes along the journey. When you stumble or make a mistake be the first to admit, adapt, adjust and move on. A setback isn’t failure unless you let it stop your progress. If you can smile and shrug off setbacks you’ll be respected by your team.
- Confident- When the decision is made, the leader has the ability to confidently execute. Zig Ziglar used to say that “timid salesmen have skinny children”. A leader that displays a lack of confidence has few loyal followers and sales suffer. But, there is a difference between confidence and arrogance.
- Committed- The leader is committed to success and assumes the responsibility for attaining it. If you are only half “in the game” and if you bow out (quit) when the obstacles get tough you are not a leader.
- Passionate- Do you have that sparkle in your eye? Do you take the steps two at a time? If you are not super excited to do your job you will struggle as a leader. The barometer I often use for passion is: What do you think about in the shower? If it’s how to improve and grow at work…you have passion. If it’s the finale of the latest reality show…you probably lack passion. If you don’t have it you can build passion but that is a topic for another blog post.
- Intelligent- Hey smarty pants- you got to have the goods if you’re gonna lead. You must have industry and operational intelligence. You don’t have to be Einstein or know multiple languages but you do need a high degree of understanding about your business, your competitors and your industry.
- Accountable- I have spoken often about the need for accountability and goal setting. Leaders hold themselves and those they work with accountable to perform. They do what is required to make sure the job is done efficiently, accurately and timely.
- Positive- Coupled with a passion for what you are doing you can truly inspire and lead if you are optimistic. See the good in people, situations and the future. Pessimistic thinking never changed the world (tweet that!)
- Focused- Follow One Course Until S A leader understands the assignments, responsibilities, clients and products that have the biggest impact on success, performance and the bottom line. They do not allow peripheral opportunities distract and derail effort. This is the hare’s vital error.
- Communicator- A leader must inspire and that requires charisma. A leader stands in front of the team and communicate the rules, roles and opportunities. Clearly articulating individually and in a group is necessary for success.
- Generous- I will follow a leader that invests in me and it is likely you will too. Generosity is the new enrollment mechanism. A leader that shares in the workload, the ups and downs, the blame and triumph will always have loyal followers. Be generous in praise and reward those who perform and you will be leading.
The world has a lot of wannabe leaders- those who will eagerly accept the title and ancillary incentives but what we really need is leaders who will lead. Those who can inspire and lead will change the world. Are you the tortoise, the hare or a leader?
Question: How many of the 15 leadership qualities do you have?
