12 Character Traits of Good Leaders

1. They serve others.  Among the greatest leaders are those who serve the people.  They care about others and work to help them.  Or they care about animals, the environment, or other important issues. (Loyalty; Friendship)
2. They develop leadership in others.  They trust and believe in the people who follow them.  They share.  They delegate.  They give credit to others for their ideas and contributions, rather than hogging all the glory for themselves. (Confidence; Cooperation; Self-Control; Team Spirit)
3. They listen to others and communicate well.  They accept advice and criticism without exploding or wilting. (Alertness; Self-Control; Poise; Confidence; Competitive Greatness)
4. They are good planners and decision makers.  They work with their followers to set and achieve goals. (Industriousness; Loyalty; Cooperation; Alertness; Initiative; Intentness; Skill; Confidence)
5. They inspire others to walk farther than they think they can, to be better than they ever imagined they could be.  (Cooperation; Alertness; Intentness; Team Spirit; Poise; Confidence; Competitive Greatness)
6. They learn and grow.  They are constantly learning better ways to do their job. (Industriousness; Enthusiasm; Alertness; Initiative; Intentness; Confidence; Competitive Greatness)
7. They have positive attitudes.  They are usually or often cheerful, enthusiastic, hopeful, alert, energetic, and resilient. (Enthusiasm; Self-Control; Alertness; Initiative; Intentness; Condition; Skill)
8. They have integrity.  They are true to what they say.  They set a good example of honesty and trustworthiness. (Loyalty; Self-Control; Poise; Confidence)
9. They take responsibility for their own actions and decisions.  As leaders, they also take responsibility for the actions and decisions made by their followers. (Loyalty; Self-Control; Initiative; Poise; Confidence; Competitive Greatness)
10. They take risks.  This doesn’t mean that they balance on one foot at the edge of a cliff.  It means that they’re willing to try new ideas and to experiment. (Alertness; Skill; Condition; Confidence; Competitive Greatness)
11. They take good care of themselves.  They balance work with play.  They jog, play racquetball, golf, walk, etc.  They eat healthful foods so their bodies have the right fuel.  They take time to think and relax. (Condition; Skill)
12. They are good followers.  They look for people who are good examples.  They realize that they don’t know everything, and they still have a lot to learn.  They seek out mentors. (Industriousness; Cooperation; Self-Control; Alertness; Initiative; Intentness; Skill; Team Spirit; Poise; Confidence)

 

Being an Intelligent Follower

Even leaders don’t lead all of the time.  Many learn to lead by following others.  You’ll probably spend some of your time being a leader, and some of you time being a follower.  Knowing how to follow is just as important as knowing how to lead.  A skyscraper wouldn’t be able to stand without its supports. Before you decide to follow a leader, you should know where the leader is going.

Think before you follow.

Help to make the plan, if you can.

Imagine the ending before you begin.  Where will this lead you?  Into a positive experience – or down a dark, dead-end alley?

Never do anything that will hurt yourself, other people, or other things. 

Keep thinking and rethinking as you go.  Do you have new information?  Do you need to back up, stop, or change directions?

 

Lewis, B. (1998). What Do You Stand For?: A Kids’ Guide To Building Character.

     Minneapolis, MN: Free Spirit Publishing, Inc. (Pages 156-157).

 

Handout:

 Leadership.doc