A lour ulsLlncLlve CharacLerlsLlcs

1 We're all leaders and we're leadlng all Lhe Llme well or poorly"
2 Leadershlp sprlngs from wlLhln lL's abouL who l am as much as whaL l do"
3 Leadershlp ls noL an acL lL ls my llfe a way of llvlng"
4 l never compleLe Lhe Lask of becomlng a leader lL's an ongolng process"
1 Lveryone ls a leader and everyone ls leadlng all Lhe Llme someLlmes ln lmmedlaLe dramaLlc and
obvlous ways more ofLen ln subLle hardLomeasure ways buL leadlng noneLheless
key language and quoLes are Laken from Chrls Lowney's Perolc Leadershlp Loyola ress 2003 lL ls ln
Lhe everyday ordlnary acLlvlLles and cholces LhaL l am becomlng a leader lL ls Lhe way l smlle dress am
sponLaneous selfreveallng klnd affecLlonaLe and supporLlve LhaL l lnfluence oLhers for beLLer or for
worse Leadershlp ls prlmarlly an lnslde [ob because lL ls abouL self leadershlp Powever lL affecLs
people exLerlorly My lnner cholces lnfluence oLhers aL an exLernal level As l grow and lmprove so does
my group company famlly
2 A leader's greaLesL power ls hls or her personal vlslon communlcaLed by Lhe example of hls or her
dally llfe vlslon sprlngs from wlLhln from hard selfreflecLlon LhaL ylelds deeprooLed personal bellefs
and aLLlLudes WhaL do l care abouL? WhaL do l wanL? Pow do l flL lnLo Lhe world?
3 Leadershlp ls noL a [ob Lo be lefL aL work when one comes home Lo relax and en[oy llfe lL does noL
conslsL of puLLlng on a seL of values or conducL when one ls on duLy" and puLLlng on a dlfferenL seL
when one ls off duLy" llke a lab coaL or consLrucLlon haL 8ecause lL ls a way of valulng and Lhlnklng
LhaL sprlngs from deep wlLhln Lhere ls no sure checkllsL of Lhlngs Lo do raLher lL ls an lnner compass
from whlch Lo dlscern one's acLlon Perolc leadershlp ls a dally personal pursulL uo l wake up ln Lhe
mornlng wlLh Lhls aLLlLude?
4 8ecomlng a leader ls an ongolng process of selfdevelopmenL Leadershlp ls a neverendlng work ln
progress LhaL draws on conLlnually maLurlng selfundersLandlng LnvlronmenL change people change
prlorlLles shlfL 1hese changes call for conLlnual ad[usLmenL and recommlLmenL no one becomes a
leader by accldenL SLrong leaders welcome Lhe opporLunlLy Lo learn abouL oneself and Lhe world and
looks forward Lo new dlscoverles and lnLeresLs A leader ls essenLlally a pllgrlm noL one who has
arrlved" aL some ldeallzed sLaLe of perfecLlon
1he !esulL Leam doesn'L Lell us much we don'L already know abouL whaL leaders do nor do Lhey Leach
us anyLhlng abouL whaL leaders achleve 8uL Lhey have a loL Lo say abouL who leaders are and how
leaders llve and how Lhey become leaders ln Lhe flrsL place"