How to Be The Kind of Leader Everyone Wants to Follow

by Lester Rennard

Can you recall a time when you were a child and played the game, "follow the leader"? It was always a lot of fun as long as the leader knew where he was going. Fast forwarding to today, the stakes have not really changed. To follow a leader, one must be sure that, at least, the leader knows where he or she is going.

What qualities must a leader possess to cause him or her to be trustworthy enough to have everyone desiring to follow? Can you be that kind of leader in your home, place of worship and workplace? The leader who is valued by everyone regardless of social and economic status is one who has integrity, credibility, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, vision, courage and emotional intelligence.

A leader must possess integrity to be effective in his or her effort at providing leadership for others. This virtue defines a leader who is true to principle, transparent and will not be bought or sold. In the global village in which we are all co-existing where individuals of influence are constantly being tempted by the allurement of greed and unfair personal gain, we should take comfort in the fact that despite the pressures to conform, there are many leaders who will not be swayed or turned aside from the path of rectitude.

The virtue of credibility twins with integrity to produce a leader who is above board and in whom there is no guile. He or she can be trusted to be genuine and to be a model worth emulating. With wisdom, he or she will know how to acquire knowledge and understanding in order to formulate a clear vision to advance the cause for which they are appointed or elected to champion. Wise leaders will acknowledge when they lack knowledge and expertise in various areas and will be proactive in seeking out and surrounding themselves with those who possess such knowledge and expertise.

Since no one person knows everything, a wise leader will develop the emotional intelligence of self-awareness. He or she is well acquainted with his or her own weakness and need for growth and will never waste valuable energy in feigning strength in areas in which they are weak and may learn from the wise counsel of others. Leaders who are liberated from the fallacy and self-deception that they should be able to be all things to all people and instead are able to recognize and respect their own limitations will always seek to value and empower those who exhibit strengths in their own areas of weakness.

The ability to be decisive and the courage to stay the courage in the face of overwhelming odds when all evidences indicate that the path on which one is walking is the right path, is a coveted strength of effective leadership that can not be lightly esteemed. Those who follow look to their leaders for this kind of courage and strength of character to keep hope alive and to help to pull them through the tough times. The examples of perseverance exhibited by such leaders will inspire courage in their followers and give them reasons for hope in the darkest of times.

So how can you be the kind of leader that everyone wants to follow? First, know and acknowledge the truth about yourself. Be sincere in your commitment to put the interest of your followers above your own personal interests. Develop your own emotional intelligence. Take your role of leadership seriously but not yourself. Learn to deal with criticisms whether they are positive or negative. Use the positive criticisms for your own growth and development and the negative ones to refine your patience and tolerance for those who would oppose you. Promote the cause for peace and unity and above all, be the example of one who can not be bought or sold.



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