You’ve probably heard of the American Red Cross. The humanitarian organization has provided life-saving services like blood collection, disaster relief, and health training for over 140 years. Millions of people benefit from the Red Cross, and it all started with one woman. Clara Barton was a civilian who took it upon herself to gather and distribute supplies to soldiers during the Civil War. She navigated battlefields, entering the “man’s domain,” and personally nursed the wounded on the front lines, which was considered scandalous at the time. Her fearless, passionate demeanor earned her the nickname the “Angel of the Battlefield.”
Barton was not formally authorized by the military. But that didn’t stop her from doing what she thought was right. She saw a need and decided to become the solution. Others noticed. Her war experience inspired her to found the Red Cross in 1881, and the organization now attracts over 250,000 volunteers each year. Her courage was—and still is—an attractive leadership quality. You may not be anywhere near war anytime soon, but you, like Barton, can lead where you see a need. Here are 5 qualities of every good leader.
1. A Moral Compass
If you’ve ever gotten lost in the woods, having a compass in your pocket is a great comfort. Hikers, campers, and nature guides all carry one so they can find their way. Likewise, it is equally imperative for people in leadership to have a trustworthy moral compass. Being rooted in your values, faith, and principles as a leader keeps you from marching off course. Your moral compass should be the gauge by which you make decisions, plans, and partnerships. Deviating from that moral compass may leave you and those you’re leading in a place you never meant to go, sacrificing integrity for short-term gains. Staying solid in your morals safeguards you as a leader and builds trust and credibility.
2. A Defined Purpose
It does no good to move without purpose. As a leader, you must know your why. Why do you give your time to the things you do? Write down your response. Mine is this: I care deeply about families and want to help build strong parents and marriages through our work at Family First. I want every child to know the love of a mother and father. So, everything I do is angled toward that goal. All leaders should define their purpose. It goes beyond a mission statement. Your purpose keeps you centered and on target. Think of it as the heartbeat of your plans. Without it, nothing works.
3. A Multi-Season Focus
Good leaders must have short-term and long-term visions that align with their purpose. Putting effort into conquering today is great. But having an idea of how you’ll succeed next month and beyond can’t be ignored. Make it clear where you’re trying to take people and how it relates to your purpose. That brings clarity to each step and makes you an easier leader to follow. Take a step back from time to time and ask yourself, “How are my decisions today impacting the future?”
4. Clear Communication
What good is having a compass, focus, and purpose if you can’t communicate those things to others? Leadership demands effective communication. Study your people. Know how they respond to encouragement, criticism, and adversity. Find the best ways to communicate your vision so they can digest it best. That doesn’t mean use more words. Sometimes less is more. You may have a solid business plan, organizational charts, and vision boards, but without good leadership qualities, like communication, you’ll leave people scratching their heads.
5. A Desire to Learn
If you fell in love with reading as a teenager and vowed to read one book per week for the rest of your life, you’d wind up reading around 3,500 books. That’s quite impressive, and yet you wouldn’t even begin to make a dent in your local library’s collection. Most libraries have over 100,000 books on the shelf. There’s just no way to learn everything, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying to learn something new. Leaders should challenge themselves to add tools to their leadership qualities toolbox.
Nurture your desire to know more about your craft. Read books. My favorite is the all-time bestseller—the Bible! Don’t settle for your current level of knowledge. Chasing more information makes us better leaders. If you’re leading anything, you’re likely not a beginner. But, adopt a beginner’s mindset. Consider that you may not know it all and have more to gain from asking questions.
What tried-and-true leadership qualities have you leaned on? Share in a comment.
