The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader - Relationships

We continue our learning and growing with the lessons contained in John C. Maxwell’s book titled The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. This book carries the subtitle: "Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow".

Everything rises and falls on leadership. And leadership truly develops from the inside out. If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the leader you want to be on the outside. People will want to follow you.

Quality #15 - Relationships: if you get along, they'll go along.

“The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people." - Theodore Roosevelt, American President

The ability to work with people and develop relationships is absolutely indispensable to effective leadership.

What can a person do to manage and cultivate good relationships as a leader? It requires three things:

1. Have a Leader's Head - Understand People.
   1. The first quality of a relational leader is the ability to understand how people feel and think.
   2. As you work with others, recognize that all people, whether leaders or followers, have some thing in common:
      - They like to feel special, so sincerely compliment them.
      - They want a better tomorrow, so show them hope.
      - They desire direction, so navigate for them.
      - They are selfish, so speak to their needs first.
      - They get low emotionally, so encourage them.
      - They way success, so help them win.
   3. Recognizing these truths, a leader must still be able to treat people as individuals.
   4. The ability to look at each person, understand him, and connect with him is a major factor in relational success.
   5. That means treating people differently, not all the same as one another.
   6. You have to adapt your leadership style to the person you're leading.
2. Have a Leader's Heart - Love People
   1. "Being a leader is more than just wanting to lead. Leaders have empathy for others and a keen ability to find the best in people ... not the worst ... by truly caring for others." Henry Gruland, President & CEO of Difinitive Computer Services.
   2. You cannot be a truly effective leader, the kind that people want to follow, unless you love people.
3. Extend a Leader's Hand - Help People.
1. People respect a leader who keeps their interests in mind.
2. If your focus is on what you can put into people rather than what you can get out of them, they'll love and respect you - and create a great foundation for building relationships.

“People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." - John C. Maxwell

Bringing it home:

1. Improve Your Mind.
   1. If your ability to understand people needs improvement, jump-start it by reading several books on the subject.
   2. Then spend more time observing people and talking to them to apply what you've learned.
2. Strengthen Your Heart.
   1. Don't wait until you feel like it to help others.
   2. Act your way into feeling.
3. Repair a Hurting Relationship.
1. Do what you can to rebuild it.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc