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"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." John Wooden

This is one of my favorite quotes. John Wooden is known as the greatest college basketball coach of all time, winning 12 NCAA Division I Championships in 14 years. The qualities that I think make a lead executive are outlined below.

*Honesty - People who consistently tell the truth are very uncommon these days. Be an honest person, and this puts you in a limited group of people.
*Trust - Being honest over time starts to build trust, and trust is when you really start to become an influential lead executive.
*Love - It sounds weird that you need to show love in order to be a lead executive, but it's necessary. Your peers need to know that you have a soft side.
*Compassion - Showing compassion for your employees is so important, they want to know that you care about them, and understand what they are going through.
*A "Can Do" Attitude - Lead executives know how to find a way to make things happen, and if they can't find a way, they make one.
*Will to Win - Lead executives have both the will to win, and the hate to lose. Both are just as important.
*Learn - Our environment is always changing, and as a result we must learn to adapt to it. Lead executives are great at learning from both their successes, and failures.
*Respectfulness - To be respected you first must show respect. Lead executives treat others with more respect than they expect to be treated with in return.
*Persistent - One of the most important is to be persistent, this goes along with the "can do" attitude. It's great when employees know that their lead executive will never give up.
*Courage - It's not always going to be easy, a lead executive has the courage to tackle new challenges and problems.
*Listen - A lead executive must meet the needs of those around him, and in order to meet those needs, he/she must be a good listener.
*Likeability - People like people who are like them. Lead executives are great at find ways to connect with others by finding things that they have in common.

The twelve qualities that I have outlined above are what I believe to be the most important qualities that a lead executive must have. I'm sure that I have missed some, so if you have any more to add, let me know.

Learn more about this author, Christopher Scott.
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