Seven Qualities of a Good Leader

How often have you heard the comment, “He or she is a born leader?” There are certain characteristics found in some people that seem to naturally put them in a position where they’re looked up to as a leader.

Whether in fact a person is born a leader or develops skills and abilities to become a leader is open for debate. There are some clear characteristics that are found in good leaders. These qualities can be developed or may be naturally part of their personality. Let us explore them further.

Seven Personal Qualities Found In A Good Leader:

1. A good leader has an exemplary character. It is of utmost importance that a leader is trustworthy to lead others. A leader needs to be trusted and be known to live their life with honestly and integrity. A good leader “walks the talk” and in doing so earns the right to have responsibility for others. True authority is born from respect for the good character and trustworthiness of the person who leads.

2. A good leader is enthusiastic about their work or cause and also about their role as leader. People will respond more openly to a person of passion and dedication. Leaders need to be able to be a source of inspiration, and be a motivator towards the required action or cause. Although the responsibilities and roles of a leader may be different, the leader needs to be seen to be part of the team working towards the goal. This kind of leader will not be afraid to roll up their sleeves and get dirty.

3. A good leader is confident. In order to lead and set direction a leader needs to appear confident as a person and in the leadership role. Such a person inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust and best efforts of the team to complete the task well. A leader who conveys confidence towards the proposed objective inspires the best effort from team members.


4. A leader also needs to function in an orderly and purposeful manner in situations of uncertainty. People look to the leader during times of uncertainty and unfamiliarity and find reassurance and security when the leader portrays confidence and a positive demeanor.


5. Good leaders are tolerant of ambiguity and remain calm, composed and steadfast to the main purpose. Storms, emotions, and crises come and go and a good leader takes these as part of the journey and keeps a cool head.


6. A good leader as well as keeping the main goal in focus is able to think analytically. Not only does a good leader view a situation as a whole, but is able to break it down into sub parts for closer inspection. Not only is the goal in view but a good leader can break it down into manageable steps and make progress towards it.


7. A good leader is committed to excellence. Second best does not lead to success. The good leader not only maintains high standards, but also is proactive in raising the bar in order to achieve excellence in all areas.

These seven personal characteristics are foundational to good leadership. Some characteristics may be more naturally present in the personality of a leader. However, each of these characteristics can also be developed and strengthened. A good leader whether they naturally possess these qualities or not, will be diligent to consistently develop and strengthen them in their leadership role.

By Barbara White

9 Habits of Profoundly Influential People

Influential people have a profound impact on everyone they encounter. Yet, they achieve this only because they exert so much influence inside, on themselves.

We see only their outside.

We see them innovate, speak their mind, and propel themselves forward toward bigger and better things.

And, yet, we’re missing the best part.

The confidence and wherewithal that make their influence possible are earned. It’s a labor of love that influential people pursue behind the scenes, every single day.

And while what people are influenced by changes with the season, the unique habits of influential people remain constant. Their focused pursuit of excellence is driven by nine habits that you can emulate and absorb until your influence expands:

1. They think for themselves

Influential people aren’t buffeted by the latest trend or by public opinion. They form their opinions carefully, based on the facts. They’re more than willing to change their mind when the facts support it, but they aren’t influenced by what other people think, only by what theyknow.

2. They are graciously disruptive

Influential people are never satisfied with the status quo. They’re the ones who constantly ask, “What if?” and “Why not?” They’re not afraid to challenge conventional wisdom, and they don’t disrupt things for the sake of being disruptive; they do it to make things better.

3. They inspire conversation

When influential people speak, conversations spread like ripples in a pond. And those ripples are multidirectional; influencers inspireeveryone around them to explore new ideas and think differently about their work.

4. They leverage their networks

Influential people know how to make lasting connections. Not only do they know a lot of people, they get to know their connections’ connections. More importantly, they add value to everyone in their network. They share advice and know how, and they make connections between people who should get to know each other.

5. They focus only on what really matters

Influential people aren’t distracted by trivialities. They’re able to cut through the static and clutter, focus on what matters, and point it out to everyone else. They speak only when they have something important to say, and they never bore people with idle banter.

6. They welcome disagreement

Influential people do not react emotionally and defensively to dissenting opinions—they welcome them. They’re humble enough to know that they don’t know everything and that someone else might see something they missed. And if that person is right, they embrace the idea wholeheartedly because they care more about the end result than being right.

7. They are proactive

Influential people don’t wait for things like new ideas and new technologies to find them; they seek those things out. These early adopters always want to anticipate what’s next. They’re influential because they see what’s coming, and they see what’s coming because they intentionally look for it. Then they spread the word.

8. They respond rather than react

If someone criticizes an influential person for making a mistake, or if someone else makes a critical mistake, influential people don’t react immediately and emotionally. They wait. They think. And then they deliver an appropriate response. Influential people know how important relationships are, and they won’t let an emotional overreaction harm theirs. They also know that emotions are contagious, and overreacting has a negative influence on everyone around them.

9. They believe

Influential people always expect the best. They believe in their own power to achieve their dreams, and they believe others share that same power. They believe that nothing is out of reach, and that belief inspires those around them to stretch for their own goals. They firmly believe that one person can change the world.

Bringing It All Together

To increase your influence, you need to freely share your skills and insights, and you must be passionate in your pursuit of a greater future.

Hard Work Pays Off

Achieving Your Dream: How to Take the First Step

BY DONALD LATUMAHINA



Do you have a dream deep in your heart that you want to pursue? If you do, have you taken the first step necessary to achieve it? Taking the first step is perhaps the most difficult thing to do in achieving a dream. There are a lot of mental obstacles that make it difficult to take that first step.

Here are some dont’s to help you solve the mental obstacles:

Don’t wait until the situation is perfect.
You should not wait until the situation is perfect because the situation willnever be perfect. No matter how or when you see it, there will always be something that make you think again.Don’t wait until other people agree with you.
Just like you shouldn’t wait for the situation to be perfect, you shouldn’t wait until everybody agrees with your idea. There will always be opposition, and that is perfectly normal. If you wait until there is a consensus, you will never start.Don’t wait until your skill is good.
We might think that we need to have good skill before we start doing something. But the truth is, you will learn much more by doing than bywaiting. Doing allows you to hone your skill much faster than just learning the theory.

As you can see, the three points above have “don’t wait” in them. So here is the bottom line: the best time to start is now.

I learned this in blogging. When I started my blog, I didn’t have the skill to create good content nor to market it properly. But I started blogging anyway. The first months were really tough. After blogging for four months, I got only ten subscribers. Thankfully, the experience taught me a lot. While there is still a lot of room for improvement, I’m now amazed to see what I’ve learned along the way.

Here are some more things you should do to successfully take the first step:

1. Believe in your dream.

Believing in your dream is essential to get the motivation you need to achieve it. You simply can’t fool your own heart. Deep down inside you know whether or not you can believe in your dream. Is the dream worth pursuing? Is it something that you want to pour your heart into?

2. Visualize your dream.

Can you imagine – in detail – how the world will look like when your dream comes true? Visualizing your dream will energize you because you can then see how the world changes for the better and how people live a happier life because of your dream. The energy and excitement is there for you to feel.

3. Expect a hard way ahead.

While it’s not impossible, achieving your dream is definitely not easy. Don’t expect an easy way; expect a hard one instead. Having the right expectations from the beginning will make the journey much easier for you. That way, you won’t be surprised and lose heart when you encounter obstacles along the way.

4. Take one bite at a time.

Your dream may be big (it should be!) and that might make it seem overwhelming. But, like the saying says, “When eating an elephant take one bite at a time.” So take a small portion of it that you can handle. Think about something that you can do within one week, and then think about what you can do today. It could be as simple as calling a more experienced friend to ask some questions.

There is no doubt that you can eat the elephant. But the key is to take the bitesearly and often.

Top 10 World’s Rarest & Most Valuable Gems

TANZANITE

Found only in the foothills of Mount Kilimanjaro, in Northern Tanzania, this blue-purple stone is another highly prized color-shifting gem.

Due to the limited availability, Tanzanite may be mined out within 20-30 years. It will doubtless become even more desirable...and valuable.

Composition: Calcium, Aluminum, Silicon, Hydrogen, Oxygen | Market Value: $600-$1,000 per carat.

                               TAAFFEITE

Taaffeite (pronounced "tar-fite") is named for Australian gemologist Richard Taaffe, who discovered a cut and polished specimen of the stone in 1945. Only a handful of these precious stones have ever been found, making them a true collector's gem.

Found in range of hues ranging from nearly colorless to lavender, mauve and violet, Taaffeite occurs in Sri Lanka and Tanzania. Other sources may be discovered, but until then, Taaffeite remains one of the rarest and most valuable gems in the world.

Composition: Magnesium, Beryllium, Aluminum, Oxygen | Market Value: $1500-$2500 per carat


                                       OPAL

The rarest type of Opal, the national gemstone of Australia, Black Opal is also the most valuable gem of its kind. Almost all available Black Opal comes from the Lightning Ridge mine in New South Wales.

The brilliant play of color, or "fire," in these dark gems, along with their relative scarcity, causes them to be worth over $2300 per carat.

Composition: Silicon, Hydrogen, Oxygen | Market Value: $2,355 per carat.


                              BENITOITE

Found near the San Benito River in California, Benitoite is a blue to purple gemstone first discovered in 1907. Under UV lights, it glows a brilliant chalky blue. A few specimens have been found in Arkansas and Japan, but the only commercial mine is in San Benito County, California.

In addition to being the official state gem of California, Benitoite is a coveted collectors' gem, and is also sold in jewelry, though rarely available in sizes of one carat or more.

Composition: Barium, Titanium, Silicon, Oxygen | Market Value: $3000-$4000 per carat.


                              SCARLED EMERALD

Also called Scarlet Emerald or bixbite, Red Beryl has only been found in Utah and New Mexico and the only commercial mine is found in the Wah Wah Mountains of Utah.

Red Beryl has been described as 1,000 times more valuable than gold: cut stones regularly sell for more than $2,000 per carat - and as much as $10,000 per carat.

Composition: Beryllium, Aluminum, Silicon, Oxygen | Market Value: $10,000 per carat.


                              ALEXANDRITE

Named for Tsar Alexander II of Russia, this exceedingly rare gemstone was thought to be mined out after the original deposits, found in 1830 in Russia's Ural Mountains, were nearly exhausted.

Alexandrite is a color-changing gemstone: its hue shifts from red to green depending on the light it's exposed to.

Recent finds in Brazil, East Africa and Sri Lanka have brought this stone back on the market, but it is still one of the world's most coveted stones.

Composition: Beryllium, Aluminum, Oxygen | Market Value: $12,000 per carat.


                                  JADEITE

Jadeite may sound like the various semi-precious stones known informally as "jade," but this incredibly rare gem is many times more valuable. Prized most when it is colored a deep, translucent green, Jadeite is mainly found in limited quantities in Myanmar.

In 1997, Christie's auction house sold a Jadeite necklace for nearly $10 million. The highest quality "Imperial" Jadeite can sell for millions of dollars per carat when cut and polished. Sadly, many traders have passed off color-treated stones as true Jadeite.

Composition: Sodium, Aluminum, Iron, Silicon, Oxygen | Market Value: $20,000 per carat./b]


                                     MUSGRAVITE

Another precious stone in the same family as Taaffeite, this stone's color ranges from a brilliant greenish gray to purple. Musgravite was discovered in 1967 in the Musgrave Range of Southern Australia, and for many years there were only eight known specimens.

Recently, small quantities of Musgravite have been located in Greenland, Antarctica, Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Tanzania. Don't let this new "surplus" fool you, though: this incredibly hard stone is still exceedingly rare, fetching $35,000 - or more - per carat.

Composition: Magnesium, Beryllium, Aluminum, Zinc, Iron, Oxygen | Market Value: $35,000 per carat.


                                    BURMA

In the 1950s, minerologist Arthur C.D. Paine encountered an unusual brownish stone in Myanmar (Burma) that turned out to be one of the planet's rarest gems. For decades, only two cut specimens were known to exist, causing the jewel to be more or less "priceless."

In recent years, a few more crystals have been found. If you're lucky enough to find one on the market, expect to pay $50,000 to $60,000 per carat for this orange- to red-brown gem.

Composition: Calcium, Zirconium, Boron, Aluminum, Oxygen | Market Value: $50,000-$60,000 per carat.


                               DIAMOND

The Pink Star Diamond is a "Fancy Vivid Pink" diamond that was mined in 1999 in South Africa. Weighing in at 59.6 carats, this gem was sold by Sotheby's for a record $83 million: more than any other diamond - or any gem - ever sold.

Composition: Carbon | Market Value: $83,187,381, or about $1,395,761 per carat