The Gift of Self: Key Characteristics Great Leaders Utilize

I was reading a brief article written in the early 1900’s by Elisabeth Leseur as part of my daily meditative materials. In the article she provided the following list of qualities attributed to those special holy people who serve as examples for all of us to emulate. As I read the article, it immediately came to me that these are also incredibly significant qualities every leader should emulate. Before I share the list, I remind everyone that it is our personal attractiveness that allows us to assume a position of leadership and garner followers. So, here are the qualities that help to build that personal attraction allowing leaders to give others the gift of themselves.

Tender Love: Great leaders give off a radiance that says, “I care about you.” When people sense how much you care about them, they automatically reciprocate that radiance.

Graciousness: Great leaders have a kind heart, a politeness about them that separates their behavior from the masses. They are generous in sharing their wisdom and improving the effectiveness of those they lead is their number one goal.

Social Refinement: Great leaders are not social duds. They understand how to build and sustain relationships; how to behave in a gathering, and are constantly aware of their manners and effectiveness in their interactions with others.

Serenity: Great leaders are secure in their own skin. There is an inner peace that allows their wisdom to surface and help make others better people. It’s this solid quality that instills confidence and demonstrates poise under fire.

Equanimity: Great leaders are level-headed and have the unique quality of self-control. They don’t let the excitement of the moment cloud their thinking into making a wrong decision. They accurately assess what is and are able to change course to relieve temporary chaos.

Friendliness: Great leaders have an openness that is almost magnetic. They are outgoing, sociable, and easy to be around. They understand how to build lasting friendships without compromising their leadership responsibilities. Their social skills summon sincerity from the depth of their heart and display a boldness that says, “I’m here to help.”

Joy: Great leaders love their job. The result is a daily joy that beams from every part of their being. They are thrilled, yet humbled that they have the opportunity to be a leader. They feel it is a delight and a personal pleasure to serve others.

Simplicity: Great leaders are not phony. They are very clear on their personal responsibilities and offer no pretense to others. Their leadership methods are organized in a straightforward manner, clean and easy to understand, honest and filled with their personal integrity.

So how do you rate yourself on these qualities? I promise if you take them on as part of your leadership style, you will attract, like Leseur states in her article, others to you by your gentle influence.

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