Personal Leadership Development Traits
WF Cobb Truthbase.net
Principles of Leadership www.bigchalk.com
To help you be, know, and do, follow these eleven principles 1.Know yourself and seek self-improvement. In order to know yourself, you have to understand your be, know, and do, attributes. Seeking self-improvement means continually strengthening your attributes. This can be accomplished through reading, self-study, classes, etc.
2. Be technically proficient. As a leader, you must know your job and have a solid familiarity with your employees' jobs.
3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions. Search for ways to guide your organization to new heights. And when things go wrong, they will sooner or later, do not blame others. Analyze the situation, take corrective action, and move on to the next challenge.
4. Make sound and timely decisions. Use good problem solving, decision making, and planning tools.
5. Set the example. Be a good role model for your employees. They must not only hear what they are expected to do, but also see.
6. Know your people and look out for their well-being. Know human nature & the importance of sincerely caring for your workers.
7. Keep your people informed. Know how to communicate with your people, seniors, other key people within the organization.
8. Develop a sense of responsibility in your people. Develop good character traits within your people that will help them carry out their professional responsibilities.
9. Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished. Communication is the key to this responsibility.
10. Train your people as a team. Although many so called leaders call their organization, department, section, etc. a team; they are not really teams they are just a group of people doing their jobs.
11. Use the full capabilities of your organization. By developing a team spirit, you will be able to employ your organization, department, section, etc. to its fullest capabilities.
Qualities of a Basketball Leader http://coachlikeapro.tripod.com/basketball/id13.html
- Does what's right
- Controlled by values
- Loyal to the bitter end
- Looks for solutions
- Perseveres when challenged
- Relies on internal motivation
- Words and actions agree
- Self-confident
- Choices add up to success
Don Campbell Nehemiah: Man in Charge, p. 23
1. He established a reasonable and attainable goal.
2. He had a sense of mission.
3. He was willing to get involved.
4. He rearranged his priorities in order to accomplish his goal.
5. He patiently waited for God’s timing.
6. He showed respect to his superior.
7. He prayed at crucial times.
8. He made his request with tact and graciousness.
9. He was well prepared and thought of his needs in advance.
10. He went through proper channels.
11. He took time (three days) to rest, pray, and plan.
12. He investigated the situation firsthand.
13. He informed others only after he knew the size of the problem.
14. He identified himself as one with the people.
15. He set before them a reasonable and attainable goal.
16. He assured them God was in the project.
17. He displayed self-confidence in facing obstacles.
18. He displayed God’s confidence in facing obstacles.
19. He did not argue with opponents.
20. He was not discouraged by opposition.
21. He courageously used the authority of his position.
Top Ten Traits of School Leaders www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin190.shtml
Last month, 43 of the Education World Principal Files principals participated in a survey. The result of that survey is this list of the top ten traits of school leaders, presented in order of importance.
1. Has a stated vision for the school and a plan to achieve that vision.
2. Clearly states goals and expectations for students, staff, and parents.
3. Is visible -- gets out of the office; is seen all over the school.
4. Is trustworthy and straight with students and staff.
5. Helps develop leadership skills in others.
6. Develops strong teachers; cultivates good teaching practice.
7. Shows that he or she is not in charge alone; involves others.
8. Has a sense of humor.
9. Is a role model for students and staff.
10. Offers meaningful kindnesses and kudos to staff and students.
U.S. Army 11 Leadership Principles http://www.bigchalk.com/cgi
1. Be tactically and technically proficient
2. Know yourself and seek self-improvement
3. Know your soldiers and look out for their welfare
4. Keep your soldiers informed
5. Set the example
6. Ensure the task is understood, supervised and accomplished
7. Train your soldiers as a team
8. Make sound and timely decisions
9. Develop a sense of responsibility in your subordinates
10. Employ your unit in accordance with its capabilities
11. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions
U.S. Army 23 Traits of Leadership Character: Bearing; Confidence; Courage; Integrity; Decisiveness; Justice; Endurance; Tact; Initiative; Coolness; Maturity; Improvement; Will; Assertiveness; Candor; Sense of humor; Competence; Commitment; Creativity; Self-discipline; Humility; Flexibility; Empathy/Compassion
Effective Leaders - Toastmasters http://www.womentodaymagazine.com/career/7leader.html?a=1106
1.Make others feel important. If your goals and decisions are self-centered, followers will lose their enthusiasm quickly. Emphasize their strengths and contributions, not your own.
2.Promote a vision. Followers need a clear idea of where you're leading them, and they need to understand why that goal is valuable to them. Your job as a leader is to provide that vision.
3.Follow the golden rule. Treat your followers the way you enjoy being treated. An abusive leader attracts few loyal followers.
4.Admit mistakes. If people suspect that you're covering up your own errors, they'll hide their mistakes, too, and you'll lack valuable information for making decisions.
5. Criticize others only in private. Public praise encourages others to excel, but public criticism only embarrasses and alienates everyone
6.Stay close to the action. You need to be visible to the members of your organization. Talk to people, visit other offices and work sites, ask questions, and observe how business is being handled. Often you will gain new insights into your work and find new opportunities for motivating your followers.
7.Make a game of competition. The competitive drive can be a valuable tool if you use it correctly. Set team goals, and reward members who meet or exceed them. Examine your failures, and celebrate your group's success.
Marine Corps Principles www.campvishus.org/USMCPrinTraits.htm
1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement.
2. Be technically and tactically proficient.
3. Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates.
4. Make sound and timely decisions.
5. Set the example.
6. Know your Marines and look out for their welfare.
7. Keep your Marines informed.
8. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.
9. Ensure assigned tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished.
10. Train your Marines as a team.
11. Employ your command in accordance with its capabilities.
Marine Corps Traits
- Dependability - The certainty of proper performance of duty.
- Bearing - Creating a favorable impression in carriage, appearance and personal conduct at all times.
- Courage - The mental quality that recognizes fear of danger or criticism, but enables a man to proceed in the face of it with calmness and firmness.
- Decisiveness - Ability to make decisions promptly and to announce them in clear, forceful manner.
- Endurance - The mental and physical stamina measured by the ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress and hardship.
- Enthusiasm - The display of sincere interest and exuberance in the performance of duty.
- Initiative - Taking action in the absence of orders.
- Integrity - Uprightness of character and soundness of moral principles; includes the qualities of truthfulness and honesty.
- Judgment - The ability to weigh facts and possible solutions on which to base sound decisions.
- Justice - Giving reward and punishment according to merits of the case in question. The ability to administer a system of rewards and punishments impartially and consistently.
- Knowledge - Understanding of a science or an art. The range of one's information, including professional knowledge and an understanding of your Marines.
- Tact - The ability to deal with others without creating offense.
- Unselfishness - Avoidance of providing for one's own comfort and personal advancement at the expense of others.
- Loyalty - The quality of faithfulness to country, the Corps, the unit, to one's seniors, subordinates and peers.
***The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, Maxwell identifies these top traits as: character, charisma, commitment, communication, competence, courage, discernment, focus, generosity, initiative, listening, passion, positive attitude, problem-solving, relationships, responsibility, security, self-discipline, servanthood, teachability, and vision--and then defines them in ways that readers can absorb and utilize.
Leadership - Self-Assessment www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/self.html
This self survey will provide you with feedback as to your feelings of leading others. Rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being a definite YES and 1 being a definite NO.
Be honest about your answers as this survey is only for you own self-assessment.
Circle the number which you feel most closely represents your feelings about the task
NO YES
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I enjoy working on teams.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I am able to speak clearly to others.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I enjoy relating to others on an interpersonal basis.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I am good at planning.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I can interpret rules and regulations.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I feel comfortable asking others for advice.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I enjoy collecting and analyzing data.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I am good at solving problems.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I am comfortable writing memos to others.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I can delegate work to others.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I am effective at handling employee complaints.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - Giving directions is comfortable for me.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I know how to develop goals and carry them out.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I am comfortable at implementing new techniques.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I enjoy appraising other's performance & giving feedback.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - If I made an mistake, I would admit it and correct it.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I am able to resolve conflict in the workplace.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I believe in diversity in the workplace.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - I thrive on change.
- 1 2 3 4 5 - One of my greatest desires is to become a leader.
Score the survey by adding the numbers that you circled: ________ My score
A score of fifty or higher indicates a desire to become a leader and a perceived ability to perform the tasks required of a leader.
A score of fifty or less indicators a general dislike of wanting to become a leader or a perceived inability to perform the tasks required of a leader.
BUT, no matter what your score is, your commitment, desire, and determination are the biggest indicators of you ability to become a leader.
Use this assessment to help you to determine what skills and abilities you can continue to improve (Strengths) and what skills and abilities you need to develop (Opportunities for growth).
What are your top two strengths?
What are your top two opportunities for growth?
What steps will you take this week to lead yourself?