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The Qualities of A Successful Leader/Manager

What is a leader? But one who knows how to follow the leadings of those he or she serves. Who is a wise person? But one who is aware of how little they know and how valuable the knowledge and experiences of others is when considering decisions.

Quality: Humility

Henry Ford was by far one of the most successful businessmen of his era. Testament to the fact is that his legacy lives on through the automobile company that still bears his name. And yet, by his own admission, Henry was not the smartest man among his contemporaries. Knowing this about himself did not deter him from reaching out for success and becoming a great leader within his industry. He solved the challenge of his own limitations by surrounding himself with the most intelligent people he could find. That is one of the qualities of a successful manager or leader; the ability to recognize the experience and abilities of others and be humble enough to admit that one does not know everything.

This is an especially challenging mindset for those who hold "papers" like degrees or diplomas from institutions who have convinced the recipients that they know how to think, and reason, and make decisions within their field. A degree is nice, however it still does not mean that a person knows everything, nor that the person can connect with those they are managing. All a person knows is what they know. We are each the repository of an immense amount of knowledge and experiences that have been run through the filters of our own perspective. It would be foolish to believe that a person who does not have a degree isn't as intelligent or as capable as a person that does. Two words...Bill Gates.

So, humility, is one of the greatest qualities that a successful manager can possess. Think of the people you are impressed by who are really good with people and you will find that one of the qualities that makes them able to connect with others is humility. Humility is not a weakness it is a strength that can literally move mountains. Study Gandhi and you'll see what I mean.

Quality: Concern For Those Who Serve Under You

In 338 BC Megas Alexandros assisted his father at the decisive Battle of Chaeronea. Alexandros annihilated the Sacred Band of Thebes, an elite corps regarded as invincible. After the battle, Phillip led a wild celebration, from which Alexandros was notably absent (it is believed he was treating the wounded and burying the dead, both of his own troops and of the enemy).

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