Leadership: A Definition

What is a leader? A leader is a person that has the ability to motivate others, strong beliefs, and good communication skills.

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” These words are attributed to the famous philosopher, physician & humanitarian, Albert Schweitzer. I believe one of the most important qualities of a leader is the ability to motivate others. As indicated by Schweitzer, a Nobel Peace Prizewinner, it is essential to lead by example. I have been diligently been working on my homework every night. People notice my work ethic and consequently, people in my class will ask me to help them for what they don’t understand.

Leaders should have strong beliefs. Throughout the years, religion has played a large part of my life. For the past three summers, I have attended Riverside Bible Camp. This experience has helped me to treat people fairly and respect differences. During the last two and one half years, I have helped at worship at church. The acolyting I have done has involved being in front of the congregation with the pastors and aiding them during communion, offertory, and at the beginning and closing of the service. Over the years, I have volunteered and visited people in nursing homes & helped serve food for the homeless. My strong beliefs have helped me when I have worked with my peers and teachers at school. I try to listen to all before making decisions.

Lastly, communication is the key to leadership. A leader needs to communicate what needs to be accomplished and then communicate the results of their labor. "Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.” This is a famous quote by General George Patton, who was a great leader in World War II. One needs to communicate what needs to be accomplished but not necessarily exactly how to proceed.

A leader is a person that has the ability to motivate others, strong beliefs, and good communication skills. I believe these are key components to a good leader.

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