How to be a Leader That People Respect
Leaders and Credibility
As surely as every leader has his strengths, he also has his weaknesses. Leaders are on the front line of many battles and are susceptible to many attacks. Often they are among the first victims. Leaders are exposed to pressures and temptations beyond the usual run of testing.
Leaders are to live a higher standard than their followers.
Leaders are to be judged differently because their abilities and responsibilities are different. Most leaders do not understand this precept. Many live on the principle that the more influence they have the more options and choices they have. They begin to live as though they are above the law.
As leaders, we must realise that it is not easy to return to a position of leadership once we have lost credibility with others.
When we fall, we must go through a period of proving ourselves and regaining that precious ground of credibility. Leadership is not a position which one is given but a position that one earns by proving faithful.
The possibilities for failure abound, but mistakes can be avoided if the leader listens for these “alarm bells”:
- Are my priorities straight? At times a leader’s priorities may shift.
- Am I asking myself the difficult questions? Why am I doing this? How should it be done? When should I do it?
- Am I accountable to someone in authority over my career?
- Am I overly concerned by image building?
Character – do I make decisions based on what is right or what is most easily accepted?
Change – do I change my personality, speech, or actions according to the people I am with?
Credit– do I care who receives the credit?
Channel – am I aware of my weaknesses? Is my commitment constantly before me?
Only if you are open, honest and vulnerable with others you can be capable of changing others effectively. Did you find this blog post about leadership helpful? If so, check out this read for a list of effective leadership traits.