LEADERSHIP
Lead by Example
Here are seven personal accountability qualities for leaders
BY Hernani Alves
SHUTTERSTOCK ILLUSTRATION
No one will ever own your victories but you . The flip side is that no one else owns your blunders , either . Famed San Francisco 49ers quarterback Steve Young threw 202 interceptions in his career . That ’ s 202 mistakes and 202 opportunities to blame his teammates , but it ’ s widely known that Young never did . Instead , he took responsibility for the games ’ outcomes — win or lose .
It ’ s easy to blame other people or circumstances for shortcomings , but doing that strips you of your power and abilities . By owning your circumstances , visualizing your goals and changing when needed , you ’ ll find that success is yours for the taking . These seven traits are vital to accountability in becoming a champion leader .
Show love by helping others
When you are genuine about helping others , you show that their concerns are greater than your own . Become the leader your staff knows they can turn to for compassion , support and some tough love when they need it .
One of the best ways to win the hearts of your employees , or anyone for that matter , is to listen to them . You cannot learn anything if you ’ re always the one talking . Provide proof that you are listening by summing up what you gleaned from the other person ’ s words . That shows , one , you were paying attention , and two , it gives your colleague an opening to politely correct you if you misunderstood something . As you may have experienced yourself , it can be frustrating to share feedback with someone and never get indication that the person was listening to you .
Display honesty and transparency
Many times , people pay a lot more attention to how you make them feel than
26 comstocksmag . com | January 2022