Five Out of Twenty-One

Today, we had a class on Characteristics of a Leader. This lesson is based on John C. Maxwell, who came up with 21 indispensable qualities of a leader. I found this very interesting as it was the first time I've heard about it. Definitely worth reading more about it ( if I have time ops!) To spice things up in class, we were split into groups to have a discussion on which top 5 characteristics that we agree would a leader should have out of the 21 given. It was not an easy decision to make! This is because all qualities are equally as important! In the end, we managed to rule down to these five:

1. Character
Doesn't it always start with ourselves? Our personality, attitude is everything. To make a change in this world, we have to make a change within ourselves first.  Even Sean Covey had stated in his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, that is to first make deposits in our Personal Bank Account before Relationship Bank Account (jeng jeng jenggg). Furthermore, we have to "Be Proactive" towards our life. Therefore, a character is the first main quality a leader must have to make an effective good leader.

2. Vision
Without vision, we are just blinding living our lives. It is as if we have no purpose. Wouldn't that be boring? Thus, we all agreed that a leader must have his/ her visions. It is very similar to having goals. Both gives us a purposeful focus in life to target at. We have something to achieve and that we will work hard towards it. It is also like a motivation for us in life. By having visions, a leader will lead his teammates to victory in anything.

3. Responsibility
When we have roles, we have responsibilities. We cannot avoid them which is why this is our third characteristics. A leader bears heavy responsibilities, be it for himself, friends, family or his followers. He must be self-discipline to handle his responsibilities well so that people have trust in him. A leader understands what to get done, and work along with his teammates to get the job done. A good leader will also be responsible for the well-being of his teammates. Remember, you want to be a leader, not a boss.

4. Discernment
Today I learnt a new word, which is this word! It actually means an act of making the best decision between two good choices given. A leader must consider the cause and effects of his decision due to the fact that he cares for others. A leader wants to benefit everyone, and not only for himself. This quality is essential because we will use our successful intelligence skills ( analytical, creative and practical) to help us decide the wisest choice to go along with.
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5. Communication
This tool is the key to everything. Without it, our relationships and listening skills would not be enhanced. Youth in this world now faces the problem of not being able to communicate properly. The lack of this soft skills prevents them from obtaining a job, even more so be a good leader. It is crucial for us to nurture our communication skills for the better of a future ( which includes being a successful leader! I'm sure majority of us wants to be a leader, rather than a follower)

That's all for today dear blog. Thank you for reading! :)