Leaders are made, not born. You can be born and have certain personality traits that are suitable to become a leader, but the intricate parts of leadership are very much made through a lifetime of learning and experiences.

Every leader has to start somewhere. So, no matter whether you are starting off to lead a small team or a tiny outfit or a leader with 50 years of experience, every leader will have their own journey to deal with.

Great leaders know how to balance between power, success and a good character to keep that at the top.

Let’s take a look at a (growing) list of qualities / narratives of a great leader.

Always good to remind ourselves of these:

1. It’s a life long journey – Build your character so that it can sustain you when you reach for higher grounds.
2. Hardships and challenges will come, rough seas make tough sailors. Hang tight and enjoy the ride.
3. When you fall, always bounce forward.
4. Be a shepherd, invest in people.
5. You’re tasked to make tough decisions, seek wisdom every day.
6. Take care of yourself, nobody benefits from a dead hero.
7. Serve others – Wake up, show up, kick-ass, repeat.
8. There is always someone better than you, be humble, learn.
9. Focus on the major, power through the minor.
10. Know how to communicate in the most effective way. Learn best practices and adapt to different personality types.
11. Empower others. But also remember that power is taken, not given. Foster “ownership”.
12. Know when to be a spectator, a coach, a mentor, a facilitator, a decision-maker, a friend.
13. Know your PURPOSE; work towards it.
14. Accept that not everyone is like you. Find their strengths and cultivate it.
15. Try your best to integrate your work life and personal life.
16. Have a mentor. Be a mentor.
17. Be alright with crawling first, then cruising, then running, then sprinting.
18. Believe in something bigger than your own capabilities. Find strength and wisdom in God.
19. Be content in the now, be ambitious for the future.
20. Always innovate.
21. Take courage. It’s a scary world, you’ll need to be courageous for yourself and for the people that depend on you.
22. Take calculated risks.
23. Dream with a conscious mind. Know when to push forward, when to pivot and when to let it all go.
24. Be gracious and tactful.
25. Stay rooted, bear fruits.
26. Remember and remind others under your care.
27. Analyse how different people behave / work / respond, adapt.
28. Celebrate small wins too.
29. Play the infinite game; play to last.
30. Keep your promises. If not, don’t make them at all.
31. (This is a dynamic list. More will be added.)

Know that you cannot be fully prepared to be a leader. But, that should not stop you from being one if you believe that it is your calling. Play your part and make a positive impact on the generations before and after you. Keep a growth mindset as it is vital in your leadership journey: Read more on “You’re Not Ready For Growth – And why that is okay” by a good friend of mine, Samuel Cheong.