Ten Quotes About Our Need To Lead

If you look up the definition of a leader in the dictionary, you will find words to the effect of " a person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country." For most of us, when we think of someone who is a leader, or someone who is in a position of leadership, we perhaps automatically think of our respective country's prime minister/president, or we think of our boss at work, or we think of someone in charge of an event or organization, or we think of someone who is a senior/long term member of a group/team, with many years of experience. Leadership extends a lot further than simply someone who is "in charge", or being someone of vast experience though. In so many instances, we see individuals in a position of leadership, yet they only ever fill the role as a manager. These individuals have both an obligation and responsibility to be a leader, in the relative roles they are placed into, yet they lack the attributes, attitude, behaviours, traits, mindset, and characteristics that a leader should possess, and this leads to nothing more than management, not leadership. Someone could have really great organizational and time management skills, but it doesn't necessarily make them a leader. I can think of at least three different managers that I worked under, during my time in the corporate world, who completely lacked the attributes of a leader, even if they may have thought themselves as being the bees knees. They were perhaps achieving credible results from a business perspective, but on the flip side, they completely lacked people management and coaching skills. All they focused on was profiting for the company, so they could get their name up in the lights, and be recognized for their contribution and work. The thing is, when you don't have the skills to inspire your team, show empathy, respect, and consideration to them, and role model/demonstrate the right behaviours and attitudes, then you immediately lose their respect. That and you fast demotivate them. Results may filer through, but they could be so much better with proper leadership, not to mention the fact that many staff end up leaving the workplace altogether anyway, as they are not happy with the environment they are working in, and I'm talking good quality staff too.

Many of us have no desire or ambition to be a leader in life, as it is, simply content to let others do the heavy lifting, and more challenging and time demanding tasks and actions. We just love to sit back and have as less responsibility as possible, do the easiest jobs possible, and wait for the weekly pay check, even if it is a piddly one. We don't want that added stress, or have to exert ourselves where we don't believe is warranted. We know this group of people to be called "followers". Tell them what to do, and they agree, provided there is something in it for them also, which when we talk about the business side of things, that's their pay check of course. The unfortunate fact is that most people are only followers in life, and not just in the business sense either, but with life in general. Follow whatever is easiest, most effortless, and what most other people do in life, in order to be liked, recognized, respected, and accepted. Truth be told that most people could be compared to that of a mere sheep, following the herd around the field rather than being courageous enough to explore greener pastures. What people don't understand is that in order to achieve success, prosperity, and even a great sense of satisfaction, accomplishment, and happiness in life, is they need to become a leader. Now I'm not talking about being someone who climbs their way up the corporate ladder, or makes their way up to president of an association, or anything along these sort of lines, I'm talking about role modelling and demonstrating the right behaviours and attitude to others. I'm talking about uplifting, supporting, helping, and encouraging others, and showing generosity and compassion. Rule number one about being a quality leader is through helping others achieve their true potential in life.

So why this desperate need to be a leader? Why is it so important to be helping and encouraging others in life? Sadly, a lot of us become too focused on everyday life, and the constant hunger for money, that we completely lose sight of our purpose in life. We haven't been given the blessing of life to live in pure selfishness and greed. In fact, most who do live such a life end up living in disappointment, dissatisfaction, and unhappiness. As humans, we have an obligation to help one another, and to serve one another. Instead, so many of us are that caught up in our own selfishness, that we develop this attitude that if we can't have success and wealth for ourselves, then nobody else should either. The question is, why? Why can't we celebrate in the success of others? Imagine the world if more and more of us could obtain success, prosperity, and happiness. It would naturally become a better place, because more people would be happier and accomplished. That's why we should be encouraging it and celebrating it, not being angry and bitter about it. It's also why we should be advocating it, and that comes through leadership. We don't require a team under us in order to uplift, support, encourage, inspire, and help others to achieve their goals, and succeed in life. We can do that within our workplace, on social media, on the internet, with our friends, and even inside our own home. Whilst we are working on the actions that are leading us towards our own goals, and be designing the life of our own desire, there's nothing stopping us from incorporating the likes of service, support, and encouragement to others, into our routine also. When we demonstrate the behaviours and characteristics of courage, patience, perseverance, determination, drive, generosity, encouragement, upliftment, selflessness, resilience, and support, we can then begin to inspire and influence others to do the same, because they see for themselves the positive results we achieve, and the happiness it brings us. When we can give our full support and encouragement to others who are chasing their goals, and seeking their own happiness, that is leadership. When we are helping others to continually better themselves, through coaching and personal development training, that is leadership. When we are not afraid to make our own decisions, ones that are designed to generate results, and ones that we still proceed with despite the opposition and criticism we receive from others, that is leadership. When we start focusing on helping others, without concerning ourselves on how others perceive us and judge us, or whether we are liked or not, that is leadership. When we start giving to those in need, rather than being selfish and greedy, that is leadership. Leadership isn't about managing a team, it's about setting the right example, demonstrating and role modelling these behaviours, and helping others better themselves and achieve their goals also. Are you being a leader or a follower? Here are ten quotes about the need for us to lead, and assist others to, in turn, become leaders also.

1.- "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."

- John Quincy Adams

2.- "Leadership is influence."

- John C. Maxwell

3.- "Leadership is unlocking people's potential to become better."

- Bill Bradley

4.- "Leadership is lifting a person's vision to high sights, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations."

- Peter Drucker

5.- "We live in a society obsessed with public opinion. But leadership has never been about popularity."

- Marco Rubio

6.- "As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others."

- Bill Gates

7.-"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent."

- Douglas MacArthur

8.- "There are three essentials to leadership: humility, clarity and courage."

- Fuchan Yuan

9.- "Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position."

- Brian Tracy

10.- "The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership."

- Harvey Firestone

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