2 MARKS OF A GREAT LEADER

What are people saying about your leadership?

British/American author, motivational speaker, and marketing consultant Simon Sinek said, “Leadership is a way of thinking, a way of acting and most importantly, a way of communicating.”

I have heard many leaders speak on the subject leadership.  Some of these same leaders do a great job speaking on the topic of leadership, but the only problem is that leadership is more than just talk or a position.  Leadership is about investing and positively influencing others.  I will share two ways of strengthening your leadership, but first let’s talk about the importance of visionary leadership.

In Sharpen Your Vision, I spoke about the importance of vision to a leader.  American botanist and inventor George Washington Carver said, “Where there is no vision, there is no hope.”  And French Leader Napoleon Bonaparte said this about hope, “A leader is a dealer in hope.”

Beloved self-help author Melody Beattie said, “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”  She has survived abandonment, kidnapping, sexual abuse, drug and alcohol addiction, divorce, and the death of a child.  However, she still has become a great leader because of her heart of gratitude for the good and bad that she has encountered in her life.

Her quote is basis for our blog today.  To develop you visionary leadership, you need these two marks that every great leader possess.

1.    Thankfulness for the PAST

Just as Melody Beattie, we must be appreciative for past experiences because it all develops our leadership if we are willing to learn from it all.

American actor Michael Rowe said, “I’m looking forward to the future, and feeling grateful for the past.”

I believe that without knowledge of your past, it is hard to build a foundation for the success of your future.

2.    Thankfulness for the PRESENT

We definitely need to be grateful for our past, but is important to be thankful for the present.  The present gives us an opportunity to actively change anything about our past and intentionally shape our future.  The “here and now” is one of the greatest gifts that great leaders understand and take advantage of with there leadership.

Our next leader knows a lot about being thankful for the present.  She grew up wearing dresses made from potato sacks as a kid due to extreme poverty.  This was just one of the many misfortunes she experienced growing up.  One of the reasons why this woman has been wildly successful despite her past is because she constantly focuses on making the best of her present.

The leader we are speaking of is Oprah Winfrey.  She is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and a philanthropist.  Her thoughts on being thankful for the present are, “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.  If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”

Each of us has a story.  How will you use your story to bring about present and future success?  At the end of the day, it is all about being thankful?  What past and present conditions are you thankful for?  Feel free to leave a comment.  We would love to hear your story.

Bryant

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