Leaders may indeed be born as such; however, many more began as “intelligent followers” to use Mr. Hill’s terminology.  A person of this type is more likely to develop into a leader themselves.

The experience gained by an intelligent follower from a knowledgeable leader is priceless.

What are the major attributes of a leader?

Unwavering courage based upon their confidence in themselves and their occupation. Self-control which enables them to set the example that their intelligent followers will emulate. Justice in their judgments and the ability to be fair-minded. Definiteness of decision based on their self-assurance. Definiteness of plans to ensure that they and their followers stay on course. Willingness to do more than they ask of their followers regardless of compensation. Personality that naturally commands the respect of their followers. Sympathy and understanding when their followers encounter problems. Attentiveness to details. Willingness to assume responsibility for mistakes stemming from their follower’s incompetence. Spirit of cooperation with their followers resulting in a cooperative effort by all.

Napoleon Hill categorized leadership as either by consent, or by force. As the two categories indicate, followers would either follow with or without their personal consent and sympathy.

It was his opinion, and most will undoubtedly agree, that leading with the consent and sympathy of the followers is preferable for all concerned.

It was also his opinion that leading by force would soon give way to leading by consent. His vision of the future role of leaders was that it would be vastly different, at least as it would pertain to the business world. We have yet to totally realize his vision.

Why should we aspire to be a leader?

In the context of Mr. Hill’s steps toward riches, leadership, as a way of marketing one’s personal services, is one way of compensation for services rendered. If a monetary compensation is not possible, our service would be a way of “paying back” those we owe directly, or indirectly as in “giving back” to a community.

Very few of us get very far on our own. Most of us, at one time or another has had to seek out strong, knowledgeable and effective leaders. We learn to lead by following the leaders.

The world is continually looking for those who are qualified and willing to assume the role.

“This necessity may be your opportunity”, Napoleon Hill, “Think and Grow Rich”.

Why Do You Need to Enhance Your Soft Skills?

As previously mentioned, some people may have higher level of soft skills than others and honing these could help you move forward in your career. These traits and qualities are considered factors in determining job performance in a sense that you need it to effectively perform your job functions. When you can communicate well with others, you can iron out problems; if you have good interpersonal skills, adapting to people with different personalities will not be difficult.

In addition, when we are able to apply empathy and effective communication skills, it will not only boost our performance but it will also contribute to the organization’s performance. You will be able to win more customers, increase productivity, and promote collaboration, all of which will give a significant impact to the overall company performance.

Lastly, when you enhance your soft skills, you will empower yourself and give you a competitive edge over others. When you know how to deal with other people, it will not be hard for you to take charge of a team and to ensure everyone performs well. All these will point to you being good at what you do and this will be no doubt instrumental to your very own professional success.

How to Improve Soft Skills

Now that you have realized the essence of soft skills and what it can do for you, it is the perfect time to start taking steps towards enhancing what you possess at the moment. This begins by making a self-assessment. Find out what areas you need to improve on. Do you know how to communicate with others in a way that you can get your message across clearly? Are you empathetic towards customers, colleagues, superiors, and team members? Are you able to adapt well to change? Ask yourself these questions to help you identify your weak areas.

Once you have determined what these are, your next step is to take measures to improve. For example, if you are afraid to speak in front of others, you can work your way towards overcoming this by participating in social gatherings and even volunteering to facilitate meetings, presentations, trainings, and other events. Doing so will help you practice and exert efforts to better yourself.

What many people fail to realize is that soft skills are learned and acquired with constant practice. If you keep on applying it even in the most mundane things, you will eventually make it a habit. The greatest players of all time, such as Michael Jordan ad Tiger Woods would never have earned their respective titles if they did not put a lot of importance on practice. Improvements can be observed with constant practice.

Leadership roles are vital to the success of any organization, and it goes without saying that companies are always on the lookout for people who have good leadership skills to help them achieve their overall objectives. Unfortunately, many individuals are not very confident with the skills that they have and as a result, career growth opportunities continue to evade them. The solution to this is simply to learn and develop certain leadership qualities. It is not rocket-science and in fact, the concepts are very simple. The challenge mainly is to be able to apply these every day until such time they become a part of you.

Below are the top three qualities that every effective leader possesses:

Quality #1: Action-Orientation

A leader must have a strong desire to make things happens. Being able to plan, implement, and execute is very important because in the corporate world, many factors could trigger people to be ineffective, especially when they procrastinate all the time. Leaders are reliable and take accountability for everything that involves the responsibilities given to them by their superiors. They are always “on the go,” full of energy and enthusiasm to get things moving.

While many others are busy doing non-work related activities, leaders get the job done. They work hard and they work smart because they feel fully responsible for the outcome.

To become action-oriented, use the following suggestions:

1.Be quick in making decisions, instead of wasting time mulling over trivial matters.

2.Always see the positive side of things.

3.Be cheerful in performing your tasks.

4.Make use of your time wisely to get more out of it.

5.Act, act, and act.

Quality #2: Influence

Leaders are people who can convince others to believe in their ideas and opinions. They can create change with a goal of improving the current situation. To learn how to influence others is not easy, but Dale Carnegie has outlined some great tips on how you can do this.

1.Respect other people’s thoughts and opinions.

2.Listen with your eyes, heart, and ears.

3.Steer clear of arguments, and never try to win them.

4.See it from their point of view.

5.Encourage and give sincere compliments.

6.Make others feel valued.

7.Do not boss around.

Quality #3: Commitment

One of the qualities that can truly set leaders apart from the rest is their commitment. When effective leaders make a commitment, they stand by it no matter what. While some of us will easily give up when faced with hardships and challenges, a leader will face these head on with no signs of backing down. They know that they are perceived as role models of their team and they always do their best to set a good example by staying committed to their objectives and goals.

To show commitment, you should:

1.Adhere to company policies and standards

2.Complete tasks on or before the deadline

3.Help your team members in performing their tasks and improving their performance

4.Continue to hone your skills and capabilities