The Leadership Journey

What separate great leaders from non-leaders are sets of skills? Great leaders have breadth and depth of skills in many areas. We are all born without the skills needed to become leaders. Let’s dive into the different sets of skills.

1) Lifetime assignment. Leadership is a long process for carrying out a lifelong assignment. Leadership is for everyone choosing to lead; it is a choice. Leadership is influence in a positive driven direction. Leadership is an attack on the status quo. Leaders inspire others to change and grow so they can acquire and master the necessary skills to produce results. Leaders have a vision and a plan to achieve uncommon results. Leaders do the work and seek council. Leaders measure themselves so they can get better in their character, getting things done, and their relationships. Leaders are always working in their foundational qualities, learning, performing, leading, developing leaders, and developing developers of leaders. The Process of Becoming a Leader starts when one makes the decision to become a leader and ends the day of passing into eternity.

2) Foundational qualities. Do I have what it takes to become a leader? Ask yourself. Am I truly. . .

 Honorable?  Hone-able? Hungry? Leaders know the importance of building a strong foundation to withstand whatever comes their way.

3) Attitude skills. Leaders know that attitude is a choice. They know the importance of having a positive uplifting attitude, especially in times of trial. The right attitude is a state of mind. Having a clear vision helps us to have faith, the belief in what’s to come.

4) People skills. No matter what our line of work, job, profession, career or calling, people skills determines how far our level of influence goes. The strongest of all sets of skills is people skills. Great leaders inspire others to do what needs to be done because the people want it done. Leaders make a compelling case for doing whatever needs to be done, moving organizations forward.

5) Relationship skills. Life is all about building and maintaining strong relationships. Leaders know the importance of having strong relationship everywhere they go. Trust and love is what fuels are relationships.

6) Business skills. Understand the laws and principles of money and profit is very important. However, business is all about relationships. Relationship is all about people skills. People skills start and end with our attitude skills. And attitude skills come from our foundational qualities. People buy from people they like. Learning the business skills becomes easier and more fun once the previous sets of skills are strong.

7) Leadership skills. Leadership skills is all about continuously learning and applying through the journey of life. Talent is truly overrated. All the skills we need to succeed in life can and must be learned and mastered by those aspiring to reach the pinnacle of leadership.

Be blessed and be a blessing to others!

Carlos Fontana, President of Phalanx