A leader is a person, one that may have flaws and makes mistakes, but is also a person who rises above and inspires others through speech and action. There are many types of people in the world and many different forms of leadership styles. A leader practices having the ability to adapt, being observant, and humility.
Planning is important and so is communication. However, life always finds a way to throw a new challenge into the mix, whether it be bad weather or full stop traffic that delays plans already made. For an individual in between them and their plans is life. Humans are innately very capable of adapting and changing to their environment, it has helped them survive all these years. Adaptability is key in working with other people not only on your team but as prospective partners. In the end, an individual can really only control their actions and attitude so being able to adapt to changes without losing energy is important. By being thrown a curveball by life or by a demanding boss a great leader must have the ability to change plans quickly with intention. The goal of the individual may still be to complete a certain project or assignment for example but say the change of plans was that now they have less time. A good leader will have the ability to adjust without losing hope in oneself and be able to change their plans to meet their goal. By taking action and being firm but fair a leader can demonstrate to others their ability to adapt and take action. Doing what a person says they will do no matter the obstacles in the way shows leadership and accountability for oneself, which earns respect.
A leader should be able to be a great observer and be able to notice changes or concerns that need to be brought into attention. An individual who can notice a shift in the attitude of another can then adapt their attitude or actions in order to resolve misunderstandings and be able to stop a situation from spiraling out of control. Someone who is able to notice and recognize the value and presence of those around them is a leader. Even though a leader may be at the top of the hierarchy they must not forget the importance of those who are also assisting and working together to reach simple goals and completed projects. Co-workers, team members, etc are all humans, they are imperfect just as a leader is. Recognizing the authenticity behind others' actions and one's own actions are key to being able to connect and work together to achieve excellence. In order to strengthen the skill of observation, it is important to remember to give attention to others when they are speaking and not always focus on replying but the art of understanding the meaning where people are coming from. The ability to remember the little things about others who matter and contribute to the ultimate goal is important. People like to know they are cared for and thought about, authenticity and empathy behind small actions can strengthen bonds and trust. By practicing empathy one can not only strengthen themselves but better understand others. A leader should be a person others go to for advice and help, someone who others look up to because of their characteristics that others admire and respect.
Stay humble. Leaders can come from all sorts of backgrounds. Having humility is important because it is respectable. Having humility means being able to listen to others without interrupting but truly listening. Humility means to not take all the credit but give credit where it is due. Most importantly being humble means being able to admit when one is wrong. A good leader will admit their mistakes but a great leader will not only admit their mistakes but make an effort in improving themselves to not make the same mistakes again. People watch what others say but most of all others watch what people do. Actions speak words. Staying true to promises and owning up to mistakes shows responsibility and shows the human side of an individual. To have humility one should practice listening to others and self-reflection. Self-reflection helps one realize their actions and the effects of their actions on others. By taking action to correct mistakes or reconcile with others takes strength but shows the strength of the leader to admit they were wrong. A leader would not blame others for their own faults but will through action influence others to also act with humility. One can always learn from others, intellectual humility is something not everyone has. It has value because others can always bring new ideas or raise issues on their mind. People want to be heard and one may a leader but a leader is a learner someone who can always improve themselves in order to help others.
Finally, a leader will at times be harsh when no one else will. Fortunately, a great leader should possess the ability to stay on their feet and adapt to changes, have empathy and be observant about others around them, and have humility. Leaders can be built and crafted. An individual may not always start off as a skilled speaker or a confident person but they can choose to improve. A leader is built through hardship and not giving up and has enough ups and downs to acknowledge that self-improvement takes time and is a life long journey.
