11 Things You Will Find In A Great Leader

written by Scott Williams

There are many attributes that various leaders possess, many of them positive and unfortunately some not so positive. People are looking for particular attributes in leaders they want to work for. Leaders that possess these attributes generally have a positive, healthy work environment with minimal turnover.

• 1. Honesty – Tell the truth; even if lying is easier — tell the truth. || “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” ~Thomas Jefferson

• 2. Integrity – Do what’s right; even if nobody is watching — do what’s right. || ”There are seven things that will destroy us: Wealth without work; Pleasure without conscience; Knowledge without character; Religion without sacrifice; Politics without principle; Science without humanity; Business without ethics.” ~Mahatma Gandhi and I will add an 8th “Leadership without integrity.”

• 3. Visionary – Have some vision for where you’re going; empower your team to get you there and if you don’t do anything else — have some vision for where you are going. || “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” ~Thomas Jefferson

• 4. Self Awareness – Know who you are; the good, the bad and the ugly, know who you are. ||  ”He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.” ~Lao Tzu

• 5. Risk Taker – Be willing to try new things, new strategies and embrace new ideas; even if the ideas aren’t yours — be willing to try new things, new strategies and embrace new ideas. || “Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” ~Harold R. McAlindon

• 6. Caring – Truly care about those you lead; people can care less about how much you know until they know how much you care — truly care about those you lead. || “Our love is like the misty rain that falls softly, but floods the river…” ~African Proverb

• 7. Stand For Something – Lead by convictions; know why you do what you do and why you think what you think — lead by convictions. || ”You must stick to your conviction, but be ready to abandon your assumptions.” ~Denis Waitley

• 8. Spirit Of Development – Develop other leaders; without leadership development, the pipeline of leadership is halted — develop other leaders. || “My main job was developing talent. I was a gardener providing water and other nourishment to our top 750 people. Of course, I had to pull out some weeds, too.” ~Jack Welch

• 9. Good Listener – Be willing to listen; if you’re always talking, there is a good chance you are not listening — be willing to listen. || “To listen well, is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well, and is as essential to all true conversation” ~Chinese Proverb

• 10. Lifetime Leaner – Learn from anything and everything; no matter how many degrees or titles you have, you always have the capacity to learn – learn from anything and everything.  || “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” ~John F. Kennedy

• 11. Humility –  Stay level-headed and don’t think that you’re better than others; no matter how much success, praise or fortune you receive, stay level-headed and don’t think that you’re better than others. || “Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.” ~St. Augustine

@ScottWilliams served as a key leader and Campus Pastor for LifeChurch.tv.  Under his leadership, the Northwest Oklahoma City Campus grew to a weekend attendance of over 3,500 people. Currently, he is the Chief Solutions Officer for Nxt Level Solutions, a consulting company he founded to help businesses, non-profits and individuals with both internal and external growth. Scott is speaker, strategist, consultant and a respected thought leader. He is an avid blogger at BigIsTheNewSmall.com, and leverages Social Media to make a Kingdom impact. Scott is passionate about leadership development, organizational growth and diversity. Heis the author of “Church Diversity – SundayTheMostSegregatedDay Of TheWeek.” 

Prior to ministry Scott served in various leadership roles as an entrepreneur, lobbyist, professor, and leadership consultant.  At the age of 25, Scott served as one of the youngest Prison Wardens in the country.  Scott is consistently in demand as a communicator, strategist and consultant to help move people and organizations from where they are to where they want to be.

Scott is married to the love of his life and college sweetheart LaKendria.   They live in Edmond, OK, which is an immediate suburb of Oklahoma City, OK.  They have two sons Wesley (12) and Jayden (8).