Fourteen
Attributes of a Leader – [characteristic
of an entity]
FROM:
JOHN W. GARDNER, On Leadership (1990), pps. 48-54, The Free Press
1. Physical Vitality and Stamina—Vitality
and stamina include the ability to convene meetings after a hard day’s work, to
chair long and heated debates, to represent groups, etc., all the while
maintaining a level of optimism. It takes energy to be a leader.
2. Intelligence and Judgment in Action—Judgment-in-action
includes effective problem solving, designing strategies, setting priorities,
and making intuitive as well as rational judgments. Most importantly, it includes
the capacity to appraise the potentialities of co-workers and opponents.
3. Willingness (Eagerness) to Accept
Responsibilities—Accepting responsibility includes the impulse to exercise
initiative in social situations, to bear the burden of making a decision, and
to step forward when no one else will.
4. Task Competence—May involve either
knowledge of the task at hand, or more broadly, knowledge of the whole system
in which they preside, its mission, its goals, and the environment in which the
group functions.
5. Understanding Group Members/Constituents
and Their Needs—Leaders must understand the various constituencies with
whom they work.
6. Skill in Dealing with People —Leaders
should maintain social perceptiveness, accurately appraise the readiness of the
group to move in a direction, know when dissension or confusion is present,
make the most of group motives, and understand sensitivities.
7. Need to Achieve—Leaders have a
driving need to achieve a certain objective.
8. Capacity
to Motivate—More than any other attribute, this is the heart of
leadership. Leaders move people to action, communicate persuasively, and
strengthen confidence.
9. Courage, Resolution, and Steadiness —A
leader needs courage, not just courage over time, but the courage to take risks
again and again, to function under stress, and to keep going when they feel
defeat.
10. Capacity to Win and Hold Trust—A
leader wins and holds the trust of its group.
11. Capacity to Manage, Decide, Set
Priorities—Leaders must make decisions and from time to time they must perform
management responsibilities such as formulating goals, framing a course of
action, and setting priorities.
12. Confidence—Leadership requires
confidence to take risks and confidence to handle the hostility that will come
into their path.
13. Ascendance, Dominance, Assertiveness—Leaders
are assertive, although not necessarily forceful, and leave their impression on
events.
14. Adaptability, Flexibility of Approach—A
leader must not stubbornly cling to an approach that does not produce results.
Leaders are stable, but their tactics are flexible.
Leadership Traits [A
distinguishing feature of your personal nature]
Leadership theories that attempt
to identify the common traits possessed by successful leaders.These traits included:
·
Adaptable to
situations
·
Alert to social
environment
·
Ambitious and
achievement oriented
·
Assertive
·
Cooperative
·
Decisive
·
Dependable
·
Dominant (desire to
influence others)
·
Energetic (high
activity level)
·
Persistent
·
Self-confident
·
Tolerant of stress
·
Willing to assume
responsibility
However the list is ever growing and no definitive list is
possible