By Dr. Marilyn Nielsen

What does it take to become a leader? Do you have the qualities of leadership?

What is leadership anyway?

So many books have been written on leadership--on “good” leaders and “bad” and women “inferior” leaders: on how leaders are “born” not “made”- every aspect of leadership and how leaders emerge. This article will not be about these things. This article will deal with the author's ideas and personal journey in leadership.

From the time I was very young, I can remember “speaking out” and always getting into trouble for it. There was something inside of me, even as a first grade child, that makes me speak up whenever things didn’t seem right. I come from a small family having only one sister a few years younger and an immigrant father and first generation immigrant mother, both of whom were only educated to the seventh grade. From my earliest years I can remember my parents as being very honest and not afraid to speak up against anything they saw as dishonest. For my dad, this took the form of his business dealings (he was self-employed) with other people. I can remember growing up and hearing many stories of how other men in his profession cheated, overcharged and “cut corners” just to make a few extra bucks. This always upset Dad and often he would make known the injustice with great risk to himself for he made some powerful enemies in the unions.

My earliest recollection of my mom “speaking out” was when I was denied acceptance to first grade because I was three months too young. Somehow, my mother learned that the superintendents child, who was three months younger than I was, had been accepted. Mom, “spoke up” and I was accepted into first grade. I believe that honestly and the courage to “speak out” is the hallmarks of my leadership style. I had not thought about it before but I guess I inherited these qualities from my parents. As I grew up, through elementary and high school, I was always a leader. I was the person who would “speak out” whenever I saw someone less able to defend themselves. I was the one who took risks and tried new things if I thought it would help someone. Eventually, I was elected to leadership positions in my class, on teams and in several other groups in which I was involved. But what did all this mean? How did it prepare me for my leadership style?

As I reflect on leadership and particularly on my style, several important characteristics come to mind. First, among these is the desire to serve, to please and to help others. This desire causes me to want to bring about change if it will make things or situations better for others. However, it is only within the past ten years that I have known this trait by the name of “Empowerment.” I believe that while you are bringing about change, you need to empower those for whom you are trying to make things better. You need to show the way while at the same time helping others to find the path for themselves. You not only lead others but you help equip them with the “tools” of leadership. You engender self-confidence in others. You give them the knowledge they need to make a difference.

You support them and encourage them and you guide them in taking risks-risks that are planned and strategize and calculated to bring about change. You become the mentor, the servant, and the leader. You lead the way but your “greatness,” your fulfillment comes only through those you serve. Your desire to serve; to please; to help other is thus fulfilled through empowerment of others.

As with all great leaders-in your strength also lies your weakness-your “Achilles Heel.” Those who desire to serve and please others run the risk of being led by them and sometimes not staying the course of the greater good.

To guard against this the servant leader (a term borrowed from Robert Greenleaf: Servant Leadership, Paulist, Press; New York: New York, 1977.) must develop a “still point” within herself/himself.

This is a place deep within oneself, which no one or thing can touch. It is an inner peace and tranquility, which is developed over time and remains calm amidst almost any kind of trial or adversity. It is the strength, which guards you against your zealous self.

Self-confidence; an ability to “speak out,” a desire to take risks; a desire to serve, to bring about change, to empower others-these are all essential qualities of servant leadership. The latter being the first quality I spoke of as a characteristic of my style of leadership. But is there more? I believe there is another very essential second characteristic. Leaders are vision people who can see “beyond the trees to the forest.” They are able to create a goal, translate that goal to others, engender their trust, and then pursue that goal together. However, even though leader and followers may not always agree on the “path to the goal, they are united in a bond of trust and they work out their differences so together they can achieve their goals. The servant leader is able to motivate others to seek their best selves, to see that vision, to pursue their dreams. Tirelessly, and sometimes with great personal cost to oneself, the servant leader continues to believe in others and spurs them onward. At this point in the quest, there are often distractions and other “pulls” that often sap the strength of those who would bring about change. It is here the servant leader draws on her inner power, her still point, and forges forward continuing encourage her “followers” to achieve the goal. Thus, drawing on her inner reserves, she is able to keep the vision alive thereby empowering others to succeed. The servant leader does all of this while caring for others.

That care shows itself in the growth of those being served. Have they become better persons? Are they stronger? Wiser? Are they closer to their vision, their dreams? Have they become more conscious of the needs of others? Are they more caring? These questions are difficult for the servant leader to answer and far more difficult to measure. Yet, in these answers lies the servant leaders greatness-her power.

Leading is about opportunity. The leader dreams the dream, creates the vision and presents opportunities to those who would follow.

The follower may either seize the opportunities; thereby becoming empowered, or they may reject the opportunity thereby refusing growth.

This latter rejection may cause pain for the servant leader as she wonders why they cannot see the vision as clearly as she?

What does it takes to become a leader? Do you have the qualities of leadership? What is leadership? And so I end with the questions I posed at the beginning of this article. I have given you an idea of what I believe it takes to make a god leader. I have given you a glimpse of my style of leadership-of servant leadership: Will you follow? Will you lead? Food for thought: questions to ponder.

In the next issue of She INK, I will discuss the specific
”tools” of leadership-What they are and how you can develop them.

Dr. Marilyn Nielsen, R.S.M. Ed. D. She has over twenty years experience in the field of education leadership; both as an educator and college administrator.