The World Needs More Women in Leadership Positions: 10 Qualities of a Highly-Effective Leader

1. Stand Up, Step Forward, and Lead Out… Fearlessly You are ALREADY a leader! You don’t need to wait for someone to give you permission to lead. Decide where you want to go – and who you want to go with – and start moving.
2. Love Those You Lead and Those You Serve Think loving thoughts, say loving words, and do loving deeds. Don’t be timid; the world needs more genuine love. When you sincerely love others, they’ll feel it and they’ll follow.
3. Have a Great Vision; COLLABORATE with Others With a great vision and superb goals that attract others, you can touch hearts and change lives on a massive scale. Reach out to connect and collaborate with other like-minded, like-hearted leaders. Collaboration is a powerful key to success.
4. Listen to Your Heart (but don’t ignore your followers) Your heart will always tell you where to go and where not to go, but you must listen carefully. And pay attention to the voices of those you are leading. However, in the end, your heart trumps the voices of the crowds.
5. Make Wise Decisions So You Lead in the Right Direction Use a variety of resources to make decisions. Speak to others who have walked your path; study history; research online; ask – ask – ask and always keep your heart open to new information.
6. Be Flexible and Cheerful Your ability to be flexible and cheerful is an indication of your strength of character. Don’t sweat the small stuff and be cheerful – no matter what.
7. Take Care of Yourself When leaders run too fast and serve too much – ignoring their bodies’ warning signs - they simply run out of juice and their followers suffer. So do something you love, every day, and take care of your body.
8. Be a Thought Leader in Your Field It is one thing to lead others down a well-beaten path. It is another to break new ground as a Thought Leader in your field. Take time to learn and ponder. Meditate and ask great questions. Become a leader whose ideas are new and relevant.
9. Let Your Light Shine You have a big, beautiful light and as a leader you need to confidently and joyfully SHINE! You are being watched carefully. Your actions and decisions are scrutinized by many. So shine your light as brightly as possible….hold it high, with confidence and joy….for all the world to see!
10. Give, give, give…. but never, never, never give up. Celebrate others, lift others, love others, and give to others with no thought of reward. Be “others-centered” instead of “self-centered”. And keep giving, no matter what. Yes, when you are tired, discouraged, and used up, remember that genuine leaders do stop and rest, but they never, ever give up.
11. 
    

 Click here to become a global mentor and leader for women.

Written By Dr. Paula Fellingham, Founder of WIN WIN Women