Leadership

Q: How do you get to be a leader?

1. You must learn a set of skills, read and study.
2. You are a born leader, or not.
3. You must choose leadership.

To find the answer, follow these steps:

Step 1:

Think of a leader in your life whom you have admired and learned from. Make a list of 10 qualities or attributes this leader possesses.

Step 2:

Look at the qualities you have listed one by one and decide whether that quality is a learned skill or a mindset. Mindset is the thinking process that guides behaviors. Skills are a set of proficiencies that come from training and practice.

Notice that some of the qualities you have listed are both skills and mindset. For example, you can have the best listening skills and still not hear what someone says. In order to really hear another person, you must be curious and want to hear ­ you must have the proper mindset to truly engage in listening.

Step 3:

Count the number of listed qualities that are skills, versus mindset. Chances are that mindset outweighs skills. If so, you've just seen for yourself that mindset is the most important ingredient in leadership. You must choose to lead, and consistently act out of the mindset of a leader. Do you choose leadership?

"If you were a leader, what would you do now?" What difference would that question make in terms of how you choose to behave?