The #1 Quality of a Great Leader

Does a great leader bring you down or raise you up? When a great person walks into a room, does the positive energy increase or decrease?
 
The best leaders energize other people. They are battery chargers rather than battery drainers. People generally feel better about themselves after being in the presence of a great leader and they are inspired to take action.
 
While you might think charisma, influence, a strong personality, innovative, and attractive are all qualities of a great leader… the no. 1 quality of a great leader is positive relational energy. Simply put, a great leader ENERGIZES you.
 
How do you become an energizer? First, you must realize that it is challenging to pour energy into others when you don’t have much yourself. You need to invest in your own energy. This includes self-care, good sleep, and overall health and wellness. For some, yoga or meditation helps increase their energy level.
 
Second, you must accept and understand that others need to be positively energized. This is a form of empathy, and as a great leader you will care about those that follow you and take your lead.
 
Everyone wants to be led at some level but only by someone they trust. By showing up with positive energy, and investing in others, you will quickly develop trust and relationship capital which will make others feel comfortable listening to what you have to say.
 
Finally, to stay motivated, we must always see our future as greater than our past, regardless of how great our past has been. We’ve all met someone who only talks about the good times in the past, was the star high school football quarterback, reminisces about the glory days, and would rather talk about what has happened rather than what is happening or will happen.
 
To get your hands around this concept of energizing, it is helpful to make two lists – one is a list of people, both in your personal and private life, that energize you. They charge your batteries. They encourage you.
 
The other list is people in your personal and private life that drain your batteries, suck the energy out of you, and you can’t wait to stop interacting with. 
 
It’s easier to start with your perception of other people. Next, start thinking about if others around you made the same list of battery chargers and drainers, which list would they put you on? Do you generally charge or drain someone’s batteries?
 
Most of the time this can be remedied simply by showing interest in someone else, what they are working on in their life, and helping them along. 
 
Over time, this interest in others will develop into finding joy in developing and helping others grow. This is where the magic happens. Your influence will skyrocket when it is clear you are energizing others completely for the benefit of the other person.
 
The first step is self-awareness and also being aware of how others see you. Once you start recognizing battery chargers and drainers, you will realize the positive impact that can be made by being an effective energizer and great leader.
 
Have a great week!

Dave