Leadership is about going first, taking responsibility, and leading people somewhere worth going. Where are you taking your people?
The most effective leaders create a better world, anchored in unshakable commitment, earnest responsibility, and lasting caring for people. They do not shake things up just for the sake of shaking things up. Rather, great leaders shake things up because it genuinely benefits customers and employees.
Leadership is about going first, taking responsibility, and leading people somewhere worth going. Great leaders make a difference in the lives of others and provide inspiration for tomorrow’s leaders.
What is it about these great leaders that makes them unforgettable? How do they leave behind a lasting legacy? Here are three qualities of unforgettable leaders.
1. Showing respect: The foundation of strong relationships.
One of the most important qualities of a great leader is showing respect for others. Great leaders may not see things eye to eye with everyone on the team, but when they disagree, they do so respectfully. The best leaders know that treating others with respect builds trust and understanding.
2. Genuinely caring for people’s well-being and success.
The best leaders care about people and value their happiness and success. They give others the resources they need, they support them, and they are genuinely interested in them. Great leaders know that the payoff for caring for others is high. It enriches the lives of everyone they touch in a web that stretches much farther and wider than they may ever fully know.
3. Leading with integrity and by example.
A leader with integrity says what they’re going to do, and then does exactly that. Walking the talk is the norm, and because of that, employees always know where they stand. We admire integrity because we can trust a leader to do what is right, even when there is personal or organizational pain in doing so. This is the sort of leader who achieves astonishing outcomes.
Remember the words of Maya Angelou, who once said, “When people show you who they are, believe them.”
As a leader, make a point of walking your talk. Great leaders know that by inspiring respect for people, exerting empathy for their issues and problems, appreciating their value, and becoming singularly concerned with their well-being, achievement, and growth, they, in turn, become a shining example for their people, who will continue to remember them long after they are gone.