“I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.” – Alexander the Great

The above observation by Alexander the Great acknowledges the essence of true qualities of a leader—without it, nothing is possible, but with it, everything is possible. Whether it be a nation, a sports team or your practice, good leadership is essential to success.

A Definition of Leadership

There is no universally accepted definition of leadership, but one definition might be that leadership creates a vision, inspires others to work toward achievement of that vision and manages its delivery.

Peter Drucker perhaps said it more succinctly with, “management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”

The Qualities of a Leader

The list of character traits of a leader can be a lengthy one, but foundational attributes include:

• Integrity, without which motivation and inspiration of followers becomes impossible
• Confidence, which raises the belief in success throughout the entire group
• Passion, an infectious spirit that energizes team members
• Collaboration, which signals an inclusive environment in which all team members believe their part matters
• Optimistic Nature, especially in the face of failures and setbacks
• Empathy, a quality that understands and shares the feelings of team members, and which translates into loyalty and productivity
• Good Communicator, which is indispensable to conveying the blueprint to achieve the vision, as well as motivating and inspiring followers

The Process of Leadership

Leadership is less about personality and more to do with behavior. Creating the right framework is crucial to leading an organization. Essential to the leadership process is:

1. Insight—The ability to make sense of the environment in which a business operates and determine what must be done to more effectively compete.
2. Focus—A leader must be able to bring a laser focus to the things that are most relevant to effecting change and avoid the distractions that can upend a strategic vision.
3. Alignment—A leader must work to get the entire organization fully aligned and mobilized behind the strategic vision.
4. Execution—Everything is just talk, until execution; execution needs to be competent and swift.
5. Renewal—The business world is dynamic and businesses need to be able to constantly reinvent themselves to adapt to a changing landscape.

Contrary to popular belief, leadership can be learned. Like any skill, through training, education and experience, most individuals can become great leaders at work and in life.

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