Three Qualities of a Successful Leader
Richard D. Sanchez, LPT, PhD
A number of books, literature and studies, articles, and other write-ups would give us a lot of ideas, tips or suggestions about the different characteristics and qualities of a successful leader. Various authors also suggest some which, if we only take into consideration, would let us appreciate our leaders who posses these qualities. Be it in educational institutions, in organizations or associations, or in other establishments and industries, a leader is always challenged to make a difference through the kind of leadership that he/she has which actually reflects his/ her qualities as a person and someone who leads others for a common mission.
There are three qualities of a successful leader which I would like to share through this writing. These are only based on my observations with a lot of people and leaders whom I worked with or had an encounter with. These may not be the same as written in books or as you have heard from the great leaders whom you know as I do not want to really sound persuasive to begin with. If I do, my apologies. I simply would like to share.
Allowing other people to grow. The first quality that I observe from successful leaders that I know is their sincerity and initiatives to allow other people to grow. By this, I mean these leaders do not just take the limelight for their own benefits. You don’t always see them making and branding everything as if they made all things possible. They allow their people to also grow personally and professionally by letting them do things that can develop their own potentials as members and future leaders as well. Using extreme examples, you don’t see their faces every day in their posters. You don’t see them talking and talking, giving instructions unceasingly yet you know that they are working and giving their best for the benefits and growth of all the people under their care.
Letting people be their true self, respecting the fact that people have their own mind to decide and to act according to their free will. Leadership is not about dictating everything to people under a leader’s care. You don’t tell people what to do and what not to do, especially when the supposed choices can be decided upon by them by merely allowing and respecting their innate capacity to decide on their own. When even certain matters for people to act upon based on their own judgment as individuals and as professionals you intrude into, then that is already tantamount to taking away with them that little respect to be their true self, to be a person endowed with free will as everyone should have to begin with. Leaders should let their people to have that respect to themselves – to act and to decide according to their own judgment. Leaders should not take this away from them.
Spreading positivity, promoting peace. What I admire most about the leaders whom I know is their capacity and commitment to spread positivity, to promote peace, to let the culture of love and respect for others to be the center of any organization. In this world where chaos, adversity, and misunderstanding exist in some circumstances, in addition to the uncertainty brought about by the present pandemic, I believe people are looking for leaders who promote peace rather than division, who promote love rather than hatred, who build bridges of hope and cooperation rather than destruction to people’s dignity and integrity. Leaders shall lead us to become not only the better professionals that we are, but also the better persons that we can be. At the end of the day, it is a test of being a good person rather than being the brightest one.
Let us allow people to grow. Let us respect that they are individuals with free will as we are. Let us allow them to live in peace and in harmony with others. After all, all leaders share a common mission – to serve and to love for people and for the greater glory of the Almighty.
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The author is Master Teacher II at DepEd San Fernando, Pampanga, Head
Research Consultant, ETCOR Educational Research Center