How To Become A Leader You Admire

As a leadership coach and business consultant I am often asked, “Where are the leaders that we can admire?”

In leadership and other areas, it’s human nature to look for a role model, someone to emulate. Most of the time that means looking up. Who has what I want? Who has the biggest office, the best title, the most money?

But the search should stop. Because you don’t have to look outside yourself, because you can become the kind of leader you want to see in the world. Everyone can.

Leadership has nothing to do with titles or money or offices or clothes. It is an attitude. It is a state of mind. It is a philosophy.

If you want to be a leader that others admire, measure yourself against the following traits:

Admirable leaders are humble. They work hard in silence and let their leadership make the noise, but they don’t shy away from being vulnerable. They apologize for their mistakes. They know pride is concerned with who is right and humility is concerned with what is right.

Admirable leaders listen. They listen actively. We never know what people think until we listen. To listen is to show you care, and it lets you know what to expect.

Admirable leaders have a positive attitude. They are not the people who see only conflict and complexity. They see the good and positivity in everything around them—even problems.

Admirable leaders have a presence. You can recognize immediately that they don’t sound or act like most other people. They don’t set themselves apart or above, but they are distinctive as they are noteworthy.

Admirable leaders encourage and empower. They are of service to others in the most meaningful ways. They encourage others to show their gifts and work from their strengths.

Admirable leaders are genuine. They do what it takes to know themselves. They’ve done their homework—and keep on doing it—in defining who they are by their values, and their lives and leadership are entirely authentic.

Admirable leaders release control. They know control is not leadership. They don’t worry about what they cannot control but focus their efforts where they can make a difference. They’re flexible and adoptable.

Admirable leaders grow new leaders. They believe in grooming new leaders. They coach others to develop and to work on their own potential. The task of great leadership is not to put greatness into humanity, but to elicit it, for the greatness is already there. Great leaders grow more great leaders.

Admirable leaders take meaningful action. They don’t just take action—they take meaningful action. Every word, every deed, every thought matters.

Admirable leaders lead with heart. They embrace a whole-hearted commitment to helping others. Positive change occurs when heartfelt and skillfully courageous leaders seize the opportunity to make things better because they care.

If you can start with this list of ten very important ways to lead, you will certainly become an admirable leader. And we can never have enough of those in the world!.

LEAD FROM WITHIN: Don’t wait for others to become the leaders you want to see in the world but make yourself into a leader others want to admire.

N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R

The Leadership Gap
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

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Additional Reading:

• At The Risk Of Being Changed
 • The Power Of Parting: 7 Things You Need To Stop Doing  
• Lead From Where You Are And With All That You  
• The Wisdom Of Whole Hearted Leading

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Lolly Daskal is one of the most sought-after executive leadership coaches in the world. Her extensive cross-cultural expertise spans 14 countries, six languages and hundreds of companies. As founder and CEO of Lead From Within, her proprietary leadership program is engineered to be a catalyst for leaders who want to enhance performance and make a meaningful difference in their companies, their lives, and the world.

Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.

Admirable Admiration Branding Commitment Helping Others Lead from Within Leadership Leadership Development Personal Messaging Whole Hearted Leadership

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33 Responses
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to “How To Become A Leader You Admire”

Scott Nazarino

20. Oct, 2015

This was very well written and communicated, Lolly.

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Susan Mary Malone

20. Oct, 2015

What a great description of what makes an admirable leaders. So very true! The first one about being humble reminded me of that Harry Truman quote: “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.”
I’ve always found this to be true 🙂
Thank you, Lolly!

Reply to this comment
- Susan Mary Malone
  
  20. Oct, 2015
  
  That should be an admirable leader, not leaders 🙂
  
  Reply to this comment
Matthews Otalike

21. Oct, 2015

Lolly this is another inspiring one from your stable. Thanks always for your rich discussions that build a leader to lead from within.

Reply to this comment
Naomi Dinsmore

21. Oct, 2015

Hi Lolly,

First time comment!

What I love most about leadership is “Admirable Leaders Encourage and Empower”.

I really get a kick out of telling someone how amazing they are, what they’ve achieved and their strengths. Most people have no idea!

But I think a lot of what you speak of is a problem in society. We are taught to seek what we want external instead of internally. As soon as we see a person who has everything we want… all of a sudden we think they have ‘The Secret’.

When in reality we already have the power.

Great post

Naomi Dinsmore

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john paul

25. Oct, 2015

I Like to call that L-ATITUDE!! The freedom to be your most admirable!

Reply to this comment
Ricardo

28. Oct, 2015

Dear Lolly,

Thank you again for another beautiful post… Very much right on!
Leading from the heart would mean absolute freedom to be who you are as a human being and truly care for the people you serve as a leader.
We need to bring conscience back in the work place where leaders dare to relinquish their need to control and authentically equip their people to be successful – This means recognizing great performance as well as addressing clearly and compassionately needed corrections.
Inspiring list and concepts, Lolly… Thank you again for what you do and who you are, and for sharing what’s in your heart!

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WEDDOU

14. Dec, 2015

I think to be exemple is the solution evenif it’s stressed for manager

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Josh Ball

15. Mar, 2016

Lolly,

Amazing article, solid advice, and inspiring content. It is true, the leader is not only within each of us, we must start with ourselves before leading others. I also believe we out to much focus on trying to emulate leaders who are simply “successful” instead of quality leaders. In my experience, the best leaders in an organization are often times not the person at the top.

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Stephan

04. Jul, 2016

Another inspiring article. So well writen.

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kelamin keluar nanah

12. Jan, 2017

Thanks so much for the lovely comments, everyone. I really appreciate the way

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Carisha Reed

04. Apr, 2017

This was a very concise read. Thank you!

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Kencing Nanah

08. May, 2017

short, dense and clear..

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obat penyakit kelamin

07. Jan, 2018

trust is the number one and most important. keep going forward and spirit. thank you

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solusi mengatasi penyakit

22. Jan, 2018

very good post and the article is not boring, I love to read the article. Thank you for your post, thanks to this post I became added knowledge or insight.

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Penis Keluar Nanah

26. Feb, 2018

Knowledge is the window of the world, one of knowledge is writing. For me your writing is one of the world’s windows

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