After, over four decades of involvement, in nearly, every aspect related to effectively leading, from identifying and qualifying, to training, developing, and consulting to thousands of actual, and/ or, potential leaders, too, personally, serving as a leader, several times, I have become convinced, perhaps the greatest – single challenge to discovering, truly – meaningful leaders, is, finding individuals, ready, willing, and able to SERVE others, considering one’s stakeholders, and specific organization’s needs, priorities, and perceptions, first, rather than any personal/ political agenda, and/ or, self – interest! With, all the other skills, aptitude, and skills – set, required, to be the finest leader, this explains why, even when someone has these attributes/ assets, they don’t consistently, end – up, making a difference, for the better, in their group! With, that in mind, this article will attempt to, briefly, consider, examine, review, and discuss, using the mnemonic approach, what this means and represents, and why it matters.
1. Strengths/ stronger; sustainable; solutions; service; system:
One needs the ability, and inner – fortitude, to give himself, an objective, introspective, check-up, from the neck – up, in order to identify his personal strengths, and weaknesses, and proceed, forward, to use areas of strength, to make himself, and the organization, better, and stronger, while addressing any areas of weakness! The ultimate goal/ objective, must be, to perceive and conceive of, what’s needed, and create a better organization, in a relevant, as well as sustainable way. These solutions must be, of – service, and assist him, in developing, the most appropriate, system, to achieve these objectives!
2. Empathy; emphasis:
How can anyone, realize, what’s most essential, as well as a perceived, and/ or, actual priority, unless/ until, he proceeds with the utmost degree of genuine empathy, and then, places his emphasis, accordingly?
3. Relevant; reliable; responsive/ responsible; realistic; ready:
Groups need leaders, who are ready, and prepared, to be, as effective, as possible! They must provide reliable, responsive, and responsible, direction, in a realistic, but positive manner (however, without, wearing, rose-colored glasses), and emphasize relevant needs, and actions, without resorting to, procrastination!
4. Visions; visionary; views; value/ values:
How can anyone demonstrate his value to a specific organization, unless/ until, he clearly provides, he shares their values? We benefit from visionary leadership, where the visions, of the leader, are clearly articulated, and he shares his views, in a motivating, inspiring way!
5. Excellence; endurance; enrich; efforts; effects:
A real leader must never accept, merely, good – enough, but must pursue and demand, his utmost degree of personal excellence! To achieve this, the individual must have the endurance to persist, when others, will not! The goal must be to enrich the group, and its stakeholders, by applying his efforts, to create the needed effects, rather than settling for any short-term, populist approach!
Serving as a leader is complicated, and challenging, and is not for everyone! If you don’t want to SERVE, you probably, are not the right person!
