Generally, people do want to succeed, and will strive to achieve that success. Inherently, all people are good, and enjoy contributing to their community. Whether that community be at home, at work, at school, at play or the neighborhood.
People do require an atmosphere, a culture, where they are permitted and in fact encouraged, to do it their way. Guidelines are however, essential. Along with those guidelines is a necessity for the leader to have trust in the people. They then in turn, will have the confidence to attempt great things, confident in knowing that although success is never final, failure will seldom be fatal.
Leaders need:
- Courage to let people loose to try that which has not been attempted before.
- Acumen to detect potential disasters and th know-how to get people back on track without putting them down.
- Wisdom to help his or her people learn not only from the mistakes and failures, but how to profit, expand and reach out laterally from the successes.
- Vision to identify roadblocks that may thwart progress.
- Authority to swiftly clear those roadblocks.
- Communication skills to disseminate information with articulate clarity.
- Sense of fun that enables people to celebrate their accomplishments.
For more on leadership, read my article: How to Identify a Great Leader on the Tips & Techniques page of my website.
And just because somebody is following you, doesn't mean that you are not paranoid.
© Ric Willmot 2008 All rights reserved.
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