Developing the Leader Within: Traits of a Leader

11,000 destitute men, fatigued with battle and journey, dragged themselves to the camp during December. Poisoned with hunger and stung with cold, the army appeared on the verge of extinction. The following June, the British confronted an army of high-spirited, fully-clothed and fully-trained American soldiers. What happened during that winter to merit such a stunning change? The answer: A remarkable man possessing the essential traits of a leader.

George Washington exemplifies myriad traits of a leader. Whether leading an army to victory, leading a company to prosperity, or leading a team to success, the traits of a leader are the same. Salient traits of a leader are: honor, self-sacrifice, and encouragement.

Honor. Before being considered a leader, one must prove her honor. People will never follow someone they cannot trust, which makes honor the first of the traits of a leader to discuss. Does the leader follow through with what she says? Are her actions moral and ethical? If a leader uses deception to get others to follow her for her benefit, she will never be a successful leader. Thus, honor is one of the essential traits of a leader. George Washington's honor was potent among his troops. He followed through on all of his promises to his men, and in exchange, he earned their trust and, consequentially, their permission for him to lead them. One of the major traits of a leader, honor, once established, allows the remaining traits of a leader to be noticeable.

Self-sacrifice. To embody all of the traits of a leader, one must serve others. The moment a leader puts her own desires ahead of her followers, they will offer resistance. If a leader's followers are confident their leader is concerned primarily with their personal desires, they will follow that leader to the ends of the earth. George Washington made it his top priority to ensure his men were well-fed and fully-clothed. Attracted to Washington's traits of a leader, his army respected Washington's passion to aid them, and they were willing to follow his lead. Of the traits of a leader, self-sacrifice is the most overlooked. If the leader sacrifices her own cravings for those of her followers, the followers will do the same for their leader.

Encouragement. A leader must participate in the last of the traits of a leader and provide a constant flow of encouragement. The River of Encouragement is where the leader's followers drink. If the river runs dry, the followers will die of thirst. The last of the prominent traits of a leader, encouragement can be given in two ways: compliments and actions.

When a leader offers a compliment, the compliment should be specific; a leader should compliment a particular act. Everyone is desperate for a sincere, genuine compliment, making complimenting a vital member of the traits of a leader. If someone is complimented on a single incident, he will thrive with the praise and strive again and again to perform and receive more compliments. Giving compliments is the simplest of all the traits of a leader as its effects are noticed instantly. Don't take my word for it-try it out! Today, apply this one of the three traits of a leader and find a way to give three compliments to three different people. Make sure they are specific! Carefully note the expressions on their faces and see the difference that one of the traits of a leader can make.

In addition to compliments, a leader's actions can provide a strong source of encouragement. Giving orders is not part of the traits of a leader. One can easily instruct others to perform tasks, but if the leader herself participates and pulls her own weight, others will be encouraged to help out. Embodying the last of the traits of a leader, Washington refused staying in his personal comfortable shelter during the winter at Valley Forge because his men did not have the same luxury-he slept outside in the same conditions as his men. This provided encouragement to his men to keep their spirits up even under such harsh circumstances.

While the concept of leadership bears copious depth, these three traits of a leader are essential for any leader in any circumstance. While Washington exuded all of the traits of a leader, every other major leader in history has possessed the very same traits of a leader. I challenge you to put these traits of a leader into practice in your life, whether at home or with your co-workers. These traits of a leader (having honor, sacrificing your own desires for the better of others, and giving encouragement) will make you stand out among those who do not resemble these traits of a leader.