Characteristics of Advancing Leaders
Many of us have been asked about the characteristics of a great manager. What did he or she do to make you feel motivated, recognized and valued as a team member? Transferring the question to address the qualities of a great leader in every area of life might be helpful if you are lacking motivation in your current job or assignment.
What comes to mind when reflecting on people around you who you consider to be characterized as Advancing Leaders, inspiring you to follow and take action?
When I look back at my own career in corporate, I was influenced by a number of great leaders. One of them I never met in person, I just interacted with him via telephone conferences and email. Reflecting back on what made him such a great leader to me, made me realize that there were certain qualities that inspired me to challenge myself beyond expectations and advance in my own leadership.
The characteristics below might help you as well when recalling the qualities of formal and informal Advancing Leaders in your own various environments:
Qualities of Advancing Leaders
An Advancing Leader always wants to learn more
You will recognize them constantly pursuing new skills and perspectives, striving for new insights and continuous development. They are inspiring their followers by teaching what they learn. The teaching is often spontaneous and comprehensive, adding tremendous value to their followers.
An Advancing Leader shares with others
The most inspiring leaders share other professionals’ content with credit as well as their own content in a personal way. They are frequent sharers, aiming at attracting new opportunities for others and themselves through abundance. They are successful in combining online and offline forums when sharing their content, and their followers see them as consistent across the forums.
An Advancing Leader demonstrates courage
Their confidence in managing the circumstances whilst focused on their mission goals, means they do not need all the answers nor any guarantees for success before kicking off their journey. Taking imperfect action is their method of reducing risk when making progress. The followers are inspired even if the leader is just a few steps ahead of them.
An Advancing Leader makes a difference
Their BIG WHY in business is more visible to themselves and others than for most, and this is contagious to their surroundings. The best of them are successful at relating their short-term priorities with their long-term vision in a trustworthy way. Their followers perceive them as highly inspirational when sharing the overall purpose.
An Advancing Leader never settles
They seem to miss the limiting belief of “I was not meant to stand out in a bigger way than what I was taught or told when younger.” There is no age limit to these leaders when making a bold, new move in their career or personal lives, as they are actively looking for what is still undone. Their followers see them as unorthodox and challenging, leaving important thoughts and ideas behind to explore.
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As a coach, mentor and consultant, I always look for answers to why I am passionate about working with some professionals and organizations more than others. This has nothing to do with traditional segmentation in terms of industry, geography or demographic. It has everything to do with their behavior. It has to do with their attitudes, response and ambition to make a difference as Advancing Leaders.
In which areas are you perceived as an Advancing Leader yourself? And more importantly, what is your potential when unleashing even more of the Advancing Leader in you? Pay attention to what drives your motivation to continuously learn more, improve and share content with others. When people around you see you as a professional on a certain mission, you know you are on the Advancing Leader path.
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Virtual Leader Conference 2014: “Empowering the Advancing Leader in You”
If you like this topic, you will love the Virtual Leader Conference coming up September 15-21, 2014 where more than 20 Advancing Leaders and experts are sharing their success strategies to empower other Advancing Leaders. You are welcome to join us on demand and free of charge via http://vlc14.katycaroan.com
