Leadership is often viewed as an esoteric thing that is hard to describe but easy to spot. It is the person like Louis Gonzalez Jr. who assumes the mantle of leading when the going gets tough. Someone might be considered the leader but it is only revealed that the person is a true leader when the time comes for those specific skills to be exhibited.
Many people get thrust into a leadership position. Perhaps the person selected to lead is not available or simply fails and this new person finds him or herself in front of the group and has to be the one to take control. In that moment, the person begins to realize that leader is not a position it is a character description. It is the designation you get when you fit a certain set of parameters and when your actions in the heat of battle are the ones that cause others to overachieve.
Although this person might be hard to spot in a crowd, what this person does always stands out as special. Here are some of those characteristics that define a leader.
Someone Who Gives Back to the Community
A leader is someone who recognizes that the support of the community is either directly or indirectly responsible for the successes of the group. The community provides support for the group and by doing this is an additional team member. For this reason the leader knows that the community must always be acknowledged. By giving back the leader tells the community their support is needed and felt and that they will always be honored and shown love for this support.
Someone Who Recognizes and Promotes Talent
Leaders must place others in a position to handle key areas of the project and as such must be great judges of talent. They must also be confident enough to give these talented people responsibilities that will position them as strong leaders as well. Any important job requires talented and empowered people and a leader does not hesitate to give the needed empower and support to team members. Because of this quality, others are happy to support the leader and be a member of his team.
Someone Who is Always Learning
Leaders know that life is a journey and not a destination and the road will always contains many lessons that make traveling down it easier, if you pay attention and accept the lessons. You might have done a things dozens of times and know it very well and because of this make assumptions about what will happen. Leaders understand that it is during these times when problems will likely occur and so you must be more vigilant. Instead of relaxing and expecting the same things again, the leader tells the team to stay alert and depend on their senses to determine what is happening not their memories.
Many say that leaders rare created and not born because of the experience typically required to be a great leader.
