L eadership translates vision into reality. To influence followers to jump willingly into change, leaders need a specific set of competencies to guide their actions. These competencies can be thought of as the inner tools for motivating employees, directing systems and processes, and guiding the organization toward common goals.
When a person is deciding if they respect you as a leader, they do not think about your attributes. They observe your actions so that they can know who you really are, if you are honorable, if you should be trusted or if you might misuse authority for personal gain. Good leaders have an honorable character, are flexible in their personal and leadership style, and have placed the organization’s mission above their own personal gain and recognition. Respected leaders concentrate on what they are, what they know and what they do. What makes a person want to follow a leader? Employees want to be guided by people they respect, by people that offer them respect, and by people who have a sense of direction or vision that can be clearly articulated.