How Leaders Become Successfull Leaders

There are various views by many pundits that write about; how leaders become successful; which are typically discussed in the area of personal development. The reason it is usually discussed in this arena is because it requires the assessment of one’s personal character. The other arena leadership is often discussed at length is in the area of organizational development and management. Because, in that arena it typically refers to leaders such as: CEO’s, Corporate President, College and University President’s and anyone who are leaders in “Organizations.” Many of the writers in these professions have their own certain opinions about how successful leaders or people become leaders. Therefore, I will provide examples of how successful leaders become successful based on everyday people who are successful and don’t come out in the front pages of the New York Times or the Los Angeles Times.

I Witnessed leadership throughout my career by men and women who have succeeded in spite of being confronted with great obstacles’ and yet succeeded. Many whom have succeeded in our world have produced great leaders but books will not be written about them but about the individuals they raised. I think of President Richard Nixon’s exist speech to the White House News Corps; as he reflected on his mother paraphrasing President Nixon said: “my mother God Bless her she was a great woman, she was a great leader and no one will ever right a book about her.” Know, there are a ton of books on how successful people become successful, but there aren’t many books written about those people behind the scenes; those that produce great leaders. And, what was it that they instilled of those they influenced to become leaders.

Also, please keep in mind you don’t have to be a Corporate CEO or an elected official to be a leader. Leadership comes in all shapes and sizes, in various colors and various ethnic make-ups. One does not have to be a celebrity to be a leader. Some of our greatest leaders are those that quietly go along performing their duties on a consistent basis and understanding what the mission is; sometimes out of necessity and other times as Dr. Martine Luther King, Jr. would say: “because of the content of their character.” Though Dr. King did not reference from a perspective of leadership, he did however have a point about one’s “content of their character”.

Successful leaders know what they want, they always have a goal in mind and they stay focus on the mission to accomplish the goal. Former President Ronald Reagan was highly driven in the beginning stages of his political career of the need to bring communism to an end. He had a vision; he knew what he was aiming for and was very persistent to see an end to communism. He also, like President Nixon was highly influenced by his Mother, as she was the one who instilled the virtues’ of being discipline and work hard and be prepared for the rough times. When President Reagan became President, his primary foreign affairs agenda was to bring the cold war to an end and as much as possible bring communism to an end. Well, he spearheaded the effort to bring the cold war to an end and communism as we know it today is a communistic system with a blend of capitalism, China is a case in point; quite different from how Karl Marx wrote his Communist Manifesto.

Successful leaders need to be open minded; they must always be prepared to make bold decisions during difficult conditions. Successful leaders must have an abiding love for the learning process as learning never really ceases to stop until we perish. Successful leaders must always be willing to serve and yet let others have the credit. For true leadership it is not about recognition but rather about success at performance.

By: Dr. Richard C. Baiz, D.B.A.