Leadership is simply the ability to influence and motivate people toward a common goal. Leaders inspire people to believe in possibilities and take action. When we think about great leaders, certain characteristics and traits come to mind. Leaders are usually powerful communicators, they find and maintain followers, they have a strong belief in their cause or project, they think strategically and creatively, they change course when necessary, they encourage leadership abilities in others, and they create change.

We often hear the question, Can leadership be learned, or do you have to be born a leader? We know that everyone who wants to effect change has certain strengths. The key for all leaders, emerging or seasoned, is to work to your strengths. Leadership skills can be learned and practiced to get better results. Everyone has the ability to improve their leadership skill set in the areas of inter-personal communication, strategic thinking, team building, and motivating others, to name a few. Great leaders are committed to learning and development for themselves and the people around them.

We agree with John Kotter; you manage things like your budget, your time, or your database. You lead people. As a leader, you set direction, align people, and see the big picture, so you can create strategies that get short and long term results. Sure, we all need to master the day-to-day management tasks to be successful, but to adeptly influence and motivate others, we need to work to our strengths and acknowledge our blind spots - and continually polish the leadership skills that will lead us to success.

How will YOU improve
the world?

How will YOU inspire
others?

How will YOU lead?

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