What makes a great leader?

“To be a great leader, first become a great person.” – Robin Sharma

The good thing is, everyone can learn to be great my modelling the lifestyle of anyone whom they think is a great person. Zig Ziglar advice that “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

Great people become great by building themselves, firstly by laying a rock hard foundation through well researched and tested values, principles and beliefs that resonates with their core personality and live according to them.

Eventually, they become persons of great resolve and character - Individuals who are not shaken easily by other people’s opinions because they fully know who they are and what they stand for. 

According to Robin Sharma, there are five basic rules or fundamental requirements that one must heed to, in order to become a great person. They are all summed up in the acronym – SHINE.

1.    S stand for See clearly – Learn to use your imagination to create a crystal clear picture of who you want to become and where you want to end up in life. And take action to fulfil your dreams and reach their destiny.

2.    H stands for Health is Wealth: “When we are young, we sacrifice our health for wealth. But when we are old and wise, we become willing to sacrifice every bit of our wealth just for a day of good health” - Old proverb. Read this old proverb again and take few seconds to think about it. You approach to health should never be the same again.

3.    I stand for Inspiration matters: Resolve today to expose yourself to environments, cultures, people and experiences that will inspire you to dream big and think like a champion. Listen to inspiration music and educational podcasts, read motivational books, travelling to great places that will inspire you to make your own home a better place.

4.    N stands for Neglect not your family: Some people sadly neglect and leave their families mostly because they didn’t receive the tender loving care they desired and deserved in their up bringing’s. A broken family produce broken citizens. Take it upon yourself to lead your family by making sure you keep your family bond united and strong.  

5.    E stands for Elevate your life: When you elevate your life with empowering habits such as deliberate and consistent learning, regular exercises combined with clean eating, meditation, prayer and constant cultivation of essential life skills - your confidence will soar and your competence will skyrocket. Eventually, you will become a great person.

Being a great person is a choice and doesn’t happen by chance. It takes discipline, hard-work and consistency. “Your ability and willingness to accept responsibility to discipline yourself to accept personal responsibility for your life are essential to your happiness, health, success, achievement and personal leadership.” - Brian Tracey

If you want to lead others, you must be able to lead yourself first. If you want to inspire others as a leader, you first must be inspired. Brene Browne, the author of Dare to Lead, define a leader as anyone who takes responsibility for finding the potential in people and processes, and who has the courage to develop that potential.

Brad Lomenick sums it all nicely when he says, “Self-leadership is a constant process. Self-leadership turns into self-awareness. Knowing who you are means leading yourself first. A leader’s ultimate and most important role is to lead him- or herself. Great leadership starts with self-leadership, which means you know yourself. This is paramount. “Who am I?” is the foundation to “How I do?””

Your greatness as a leader is not determined by how much wealth, fame or status you acquire, but by your ability to influence those around you in a positive fashion. In fact, Robin Sharma say you don’t need a title to be a leader. Even Brian Tracey attest to this truth “To succeed, everyone must see themselves as part of the leadership team. You don’t need formal authority to lead anymore – only the desire to be involved and the commitment to make a positive difference.”

There has never been a time in human history where leaders are desperately needed as much as they are currently, more especially in politics.

Most families are falling apart because leadership is lacking. Great businesses are failing because leadership is lacking. Places of worship where majority of people go for spiritual fulfilment have turned into chaos because leadership is lacking. Most communities or societies are crime and poverty stricken because leadership in the government sector is lacking.

We are in a state of economic collapse because people underestimate the power and importance of leadership. Are you just going to stand and watch the world in and around you collapse? You have the power to practice self-discipline to awaken and nurture your inner leader that the world is longing for.  

The practice of self-discipline enables you to change your character, to become stronger and a greater person. The exercise of self-discipline has a powerful effect on your mind and emotions, developing you into a person of greater resolve and character.

To conclude, let the powerful words of the legendary Brian Tracey reverberate in your mind first - “Leadership and Self-discipline go hand in hand. It is not possible to imagine a leader who lacks self-disciple, willpower, self-control and self-mastery. The overarching characteristic of a leader is that he is in complete control of himself and of every situation.”

Secondly, Self-love and undying love for owns people matter. Be brave and dare greatly to lead knowing that along the way you will meet disappointments, failures, frustrations, even heart-breaks.

Lastly, remember that great leaders are brave. They pick themselves up no matter how many times they fall and keep going until they achieve their goals and reach their destinies.

References:

1.    Dare to Lead – Brave work. Tough conversations. Whole hearts, By Brene Brown

2.    H3 Leadership: Be Humble, Stay Hungry, Always Hustle, By Brad Lomenick

3.    No Excuses: The power of self-discipline, By Brian Tracey

4.    The Leader who had no title, by Robin Sharma,