Week
39

Be a Leader
Worthy of Followers

AFFIRMATIONS

for

Meditation and Reflection

I am communicating my vision clearly and passionately to others and they are trusting my leadership.

I feel courageous and inspired as I apply the principles of being a great leader.

I am experiencing my confidence continually growing as I coach others to success.

The most dangerous leadership myth is that leaders are born—that there is a genetic factor to leadership. That’s nonsense; in fact, the opposite is true. Leaders are made rather than born.

—WARREN BENNIS
Founding chairman at the Leadership Institute at
the University of Southern California

S
uccess usually requires the help of others; therefore, most successful people are exceptional leaders who can effectively motivate others. They also have common traits:

• They have a clear and well-defined vision of the goals and future they’re pursuing and they communicate that vision to others in ways that are compelling and exciting.
• They are masters at motivating people to join their team and commit 100%.
• They are excellent coaches; they can quickly spot potential in others and spur them to go the extra mile.
• They acknowledge the positive contribution of others.
• They hold the people they lead accountable, but more important, they hold themselves accountable.
• They inspire their people to grow as leaders, too.

I am communicating my vision clearly and passionately to others and they are trusting my leadership.

Knowing how to be a successful leader will benefit you no matter where life takes you. Few of us are destined to become leaders on the level of Nelson Mandela or Mother Teresa, but we can all learn leadership skills that have a positive impact in our sphere of influence. How?

1) Know your own strengths and weaknesses: Great leaders understand themselves as well as others. They’re realistic about their own skills and capabilities, and they keep their emotions in check during periods of intense pressure or rapid change, which creates a sense of safety for others. Admit that you don’t know everything, be willing to be wrong, and always listen to feedback.

2) Hold yourself accountable as well as others: Take 100% responsibility for your actions and results. That’s how you begin to build trust—by being reliable, punctual, and keeping your agreements. You also have to be courageous enough to hold others accountable for their actions and results.

3) Inspire others with your clear and compelling vision: Your followers must be able to see a successful future for themselves; they want to be smarter, better, stronger, more confident, and more competent.

I feel courageous and inspired as I apply the principles of being a great leader.

H
ow else can you recognize a leader worth following? Here are three more qualities you should work hard to establish in your heart and mind:

1) Listen for possibility: People want to feel that you hear them—that their insights and opinions matter. Great leaders listen, not only to their team’s ideas and concepts, but they also shift their own focus from listening for negative comments to listening for what is possible.

2) Coach others for a leadership role: You can’t do everything yourself. But you can coach others to develop their own solutions and problem-solving abilities. When you develop other people as leaders, you free up your own time and focus for accomplishing your vision.

3) Maintain an attitude of gratitude: The easiest way to build trust, enthusiasm, and commitment is by practicing gratitude and acknowledging others. Experiencing and showing gratitude and appreciation improves your mood, makes you feel lighter, and helps you feel less stress.

Becoming a leader worth following will transform your future by attracting other optimistic people into your world who can help you achieve your goals faster.

I am experiencing my confidence continually growing as I coach others to success.