What are the key ingredients that make a successful leader?
Asmall story:
There was once a great war between two countries. The war had been going on for some time and the soldiers were starting to feel tired of the long battle.
On a hot afternoon, a man in civilian clothes was riding past a small group of tired soldiers digging a huge pit. The group leader was shouting orders and threatening punishment if the work was not completed within the hour.
The man riding the horse stopped and asked, ‘Sir, why are you only shouting orders? Why can’t you help them yourself?’ asked the stranger on horseback.
The group leader looked at him and replied, ‘What do you mean? I am the leader. The men do as I tell them.’ He then added, ‘If you feel so strongly about helping them, you are welcome to do so yourself!’
The man got down from his horse and started walking up to the soldiers at work. The group leader was simply shocked! The man took up the tools and started helping the soldiers and worked with them till the job was finished! ’
Before leaving the man congratulated the soldiers for their work, and approached the
group leader. He said, ‘The next time your status prevents you from supporting your people, you should inform your higher authorities and I will provide a more permanent solution.
The group leader was now completely surprised. Only now he looked closely at the man – and realized that the man was the army general!
We now need to ask ourselves how many so-called leaders in organizations exhibit the qualities of the group leader. And how many people do you know who exhibit the qualities of the army general?
Regardless of the status in an organization, you will agree that the majority of the so-called leaders exhibit the qualities of the group leader. They achieve the status of the leader but not the state of the leader.
There are very few people who are ready to really help the work get done.
The army general exhibited some of the key qualities that are important for a true leader:
1. Honesty and Responsibility
2. Caring genuinely about people
3. Confidence
4. Efficiency and lateral thinking skills
5. Attention to detail
6. Efficiency and Effectiveness
7. Broad-based thinking and doing
I will discuss these traits in greater detail in the following sections.
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