Leadership

Article with compilation from sermons by Rev. Edmund Chan & inputs throught own experience from yours truly.

Let me see, questions has been raised on how and what makes a very capable leader and what would the benchmark be. So, interestingly enough the topic was also brought up over the weekend. Just felt too compelled to just blog it here.

So here are the traits of being a leader.

Status- (the relative position or standing of things)
- True enough a leader should always have the status of being a leader. Sadly, no one will ever be recognized as a leader if the “title” was not given to by ones company / group.
- What is the true meaning of being a leader? A leader is one who is in charge or in command of others, leadership - capacity or ability to lead

Stature – (An achieved level; status , character)
- I still believe there are natural born leaders, and then there are the “pretenders”
- Natural leaders then to have that “oomph” about them, and the abilities to lead any group in any condition. Let it be work, or games – these people have the characteristics and the capability to do what natural “followers” wont be bold enough to step up to.
- Natural “followers” who are just contented of being who and where they are, only following the crowd and never striving to be above and beyond what and where they currently are.
- “Pretenders” on the other hand may have been those who are forced to take up the leadership positions or just taking over a leadership position so that they would feel “important” in ones society or group. These “pretenders” tend to crack under pressure and almost always unable to make decisions when the time comes (more to relying to other peoples suggestion and going by consensus rather than making the final say)
- Though some people can be nurtured to lead (it may take a long period of time), however most/many will still lack the charisma in doing so and end up doing the “working” levels work rather than to lead and manage them.

Substance – (Essential nature; essence, gist; heart)
- A leader will lead by Heart; Passion.
- Without any passion for his/her own teams work and performance, the team will never be successful in the job or task at hand.
- Every follower / team member will always need or want a team leader that has passion in his work – a form of motivation or energy that flows through the team.

Sacrifice – (To forfeit (one thing) for another thing considered to be of greater value)
- This would be one of the most difficult things that a leader would need to learn or have.
- The ability to sacrifice ones personal time, ego, friendships, pride, even position if needed is I guess the hardest for one person to do –but it is a fact that all leaders would have to sacrifice one of these one time or another to be a Leader.
- A leader must and always willing to sacrifice for what is more of a greater value to the team (at the same time maintaining ones values).
- Shying away from the “celebrity” syndrome will also prove to be the biggest sacrifice one would need to learn from. Being humble in attitude and at the same time having the boldness in making the important decisions. A team would despise and hate a big show off that has only himself to glorify, and not the teams hard work.
- Respect, is only gained by a leader if He himself has respect for his team members. He WOULD and MUST give his team recognition for their performance on a good job done, and never taking credit for the results. Self glorifying is a major mistake that a lot of great leaders make and loosing all the hard earned respect.

To Serve - (to answer the needs of, to be enough for, to contribute or conduce to)
- Now many never notice this, but to be a leader is to be the “servant” to the team. Being a leader is does not only mean that one that should only direct, but to serve the team loyally, with total abandonment and no favoritism to any of the members in the team.
- Why would it be so important that a team leader would need to serve the team you may ask? What drives a team to work harder and what do team members yearn for most? Studies has even shown that direct reports/ subordinates care more about recognition and appreciation from their superior – this may include monetary, certified awards and even a simple pat on the shoulder acknowledging a good job done.
- Serving as a team leader does not mean that you should do the work of your subordinate, but it means giving acknowledgement to your subordinates for their good work done and fighting for their promotions, bonuses, awards and most importantly always stand behind them –back them up and be their shield when they are under fire (this means sacrificing yourself in any situations even admitting that it was YOUR OWN FAULT when your team did a big boo boo and that you will take responsibility to correct what has been done wrong).
- Never ever place your subordinate up (publicly) as a sacrificial lamb when things get hot, but to back them up in all situations (give them a big grilling when you are with them PRIVATELY)-now remember earlier on about leaders need to sacrifice? Well, here is one of such situations.
- A team leader will never be totally successful in his/her duty or have the support of the whole team until he understands that his/her duties are to serve those that are reporting to them.

A burning focus - (Direction and goal)
- A leader must always have the direction and goal to succeed in the task given. Imagine a team with a team leader that has no goal, now I think the proper phrase to describe this team would be a team of headless chicken now wouldn’t it? A team that squawks noisily, running in all directions with no apparent goal – imagine the chaotic position the team would be in.
- Being a leader is not how well you start a task, but how you finish it.

But one more important thing of being a leader is – Seize the day, live your days deliberately. Lead by example and you will have a dedicated and committed team to you.