Characteristics of Leadership

In our Wall Street Journal #1 best selling book Launching a Leadership Revolution, Chris Brady and I talk about the 3H principles of every leader. Hungry, Honeable, and Honorable each plays a part in the developing leader. If you desire to lead in your home, community, workplace, church or club, these 3 characteristics are essential for your success. Anyone can improve their leadership by studying these attributes and applying them to their leadership journey. Each of these is explained in full in our book, but let's elaborate a little on them here.

There is no leadership without a hungry person mentally willing to learn and grow. Without hunger, a person is satisfied with the status quo. Since every major achievement happens when a goal is set, satisfied people will not get uncomfortable enough to change. The old saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears," explains this well. What do you yearn for in your life? What existing situation that you are dealing with must change? These are the seeds of discontent that lead to hunger and eventually leadership if directed properly. I believe it is easier to teach a hungry person the skills for leadership than it is to teach a skilled person how to be hungry.

If a person is willing to work, that is a good start, but real change occurs only with examination. Socrates said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." Are you examining your results and honing them for improvement? Failing is not fatal and is a great way to learn. If you run from your failure or blame someone else, you steal from yourself a learning experience. Failure is a given in life, but learning is optional. A honeable student is willing to take counsel, confront reality and change where needed. Too many would-be leaders will not accept any counsel and thus are frozen in work mode without growth. Life is too short to learn only from your own experiences. Find a mentor and be their best student.

The last characteristic is the foundation that holds your leadership together. Without honor you have nothing. People will not remember the car you drove, the house you live in, or your net worth, but they will remember if you treated them with honor. People will disagree and as a leader, you will have to separate from some people, but always do it with honor. Remember when you throw mud, all you do is dig yourself into a hole. Everyone grows and changes at their own pace and mistreating people or doing anything without honor ultimately hurt you more than anyone. Take the high road even when others choose the low one.

Everyone can lead when they incorporate the 3H principles into their life. If you are tired of being part of a group that isn't being led and tire of thinking someone should lead, maybe it is time to promote yourself. Leadership is not a tile, a position, or rank, but just plain service to others. Those who serve will deserve. I encourage you to Launch a Leadership Revolution in your life. God Bless, Orrin Woodward