Qualities of a Leader

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Qualities of a Leader

• Paul Keogan
• Apr 10 2003

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Why is Leadership Important

• In a services organization it is the ONLY long
  term strategic advantage
• People follow people with leadership traits --
• People dont follow based on organizational level

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Can Leadership be Learned?

• YES
• Organizational Personally
• BUT
• You need certain traits
• For some these traits come naturally
• For most of us we need to work on them throughout
  our lives

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Indispensable Qualities of a Leader

• Common Qualities of Leaders throughout History
• Leadership Theorist vs. someone who people
  passionately follow
• What Attracts people to leaders?
• Leadership takes time

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Character

• Character Inspires Confidence
• It is determined by Actions not Words
• Talent is a gift, Character is a Choice
• People who have success without character are
  often arrogant and destructive
• Always look for ways to improve your own
  character.
• Concentrate and envision your next decisions
• Look for patterns in your own behavior

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Charisma

• Is the Ability to draw people toward you
• What are the characteristics
• Enjoying Life and People, being Passionate
• Think highly of others, see the good in people
• Share yourself
• Roadblocks
• Pride Insecurity
• Moodiness Unrealistic
• Cynicism
• Play the first impression game

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Commitment

• People follow people committed to a cause
• Starts in the Heart and is followed by Action
• What are you committed to?
• What are your personal goals
• What will you do to achieve them
• Do you quit if the situation isnt perfect
  always searching for that perfect place
• What happens to you when the going gets rough,
  when you face new challenges

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Communication

• Make it simple, make it short. Be Clear.
• Be Consistent
• Understand your audience
• Know when to not communicate
• When you walk away from a conversation is it your
  goal to
• make the other person think youre the smartest
  person in the world OR
• Make them think they are the smartest person in
  the world.
• Go for 2 its worth more in the long run and
  youll achieve 1 more often

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Courage

• Builds on Character and Commitment
• Its not the absence of fear, but doing what is
  right in the face of fear
• Its not smoothing things over not giving false
  hope and praise
• Courageous acts often bring unexpected positive
  results

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Focus

• Focus on what your good at.
• 75 on your strengths
• 20 on new things
• 5 on your weaknesses
• Staff your weaknesses, not your strengths

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Initiative

• Start, put yourself in the game
• Take risks
• Dont wait for opportunity
• Make lots of mistakes
• Always take the next step

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Listening

• Encourage people to tell you what you need to
  know NOT what you want to hear
• Be respectiveful
• Seek people to listen to
• Peers
• Competitors
• Mentors
• Customers
• Leaders learn more from listening
• Make Time for it

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Responsibility Ownership

• Never embrace the Victim Mentality
• Produce results regardless of the situation
• You always need to be more committed to your
  tasks than anyone else
• You should inspire that quality in your followers

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Self- Discipline

• Develop and Follow Priorities
• Challenge Excuses
• Remove rewards until the job is complete
• Stay Focused on Results

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Servanthood

• Put others first
• Posses the confidence to serve
• your followers
• People who dont respect you
• People you dont respect
• Position should not matter
• Serve even if only looking for something in
  return
• That attitude will always change

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Teachability

• Difficulties often rooted in early achievement
• You think your smart and cant learn from others
• Trade in your pride
• You can learn from everyone

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Positive Attitude

• Your attitude is your choice
• Your attitude determines your actions
• Condition your mind to win