A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.”-Ralph Lauren

A leader is seen as someone with a can-do attitude, the person whose glass is always half full. Hurdles in the road are not obstacles that prevent him from achieving his goal. Rather, they are challenges to be faced, to be overcome, and to be learned from. A leader believes that failures present the opportunity for self-improvement, and that performance on the next go-round will only be enhanced through the lessons previously learned.

A leader does not point to a location, tell his followers to go there, then tell them how to accomplish a goal. Rather, the leader is at the front of the pack, forging ahead of the rest and blazing a trail. The leader demonstrates to everyone else how things should be done, and works harder at accomplishing his goals than anyone else.

Whether you are striving to be a leader in your career, or simply want to be a leader in your own private life, there are many lessons and characteristics that will serve you well in either of these endeavors.

Consider these traits and then give thought to your own style. Are you a leader? Can you become one?

A Leader Must Have a Vision:This could be your grandest goal, or an overall sense of accomplishment. Either way, the leader must be able to visualize where he wants to be, where he wants his company to be, or where he wants his family to be. Everything begins with a worthy vision that provides a goal to work towards.

A Leader Must be Able to Develop Relationships:Great interpersonal skills are necessary for any leader to possess. The hermit will not achieve greatness, no matter how adept, because the world will not notice him. The leader builds quality relationships based upon trust, respect, cooperation, and teamwork. The leader does not ask what others can do for him, but rather what he can be doing to help others. A leader inspires others to join him in his quest for success.

A Leader Must be Able to Strategize:Successful leaders not only have a great vision, but they are able to develop a plan to reach their goal successfully. The leader knows what accomplishments need to be made, what obstacles must be overcome, and what resources will be needed in order to realize his vision.

A Leader Must be Able to Resolve Conflict:A good leader will examine conflict from all angles and be able to determine its root cause. In addition to realizing the feelings and perspectives of others, the leader will also recognize and acknowledge his own role in the conflict. He will then work collaboratively with other involved parties in order to successfully resolve the conflict issue while keeping important relationships intact.

A Leader Must be a Good Problem Solver:No matter how well thought out, the road to realizing a vision will be full of potholes. Thorough planning can help smooth out the road, but there will be some ruts in the road that threaten to rip the wheels off of the car. A good leader will recognize this ahead of time and plan accordingly, offering a backup plan when the original one goes awry. A leader is able to think on his feet, gather all available information, decipher the facts, and use some good common sense to come up with a workable solution.

In life, leaders are not necessarily the highest ranking person, or the one who holds the most impressive job title, or the one who claims to be the keeper of the home. A leader is someone whose actions have placed them in a position of trust and authority among their peers. A leader is someone whose advice is sought frequently, but never forcefully pushed onto others. A leader is someone whose spirit and desire for excellence eclipses that of everyone else around him. A leader sees the value in others, and inspires each person to perform their best, many times allowing them to exceed even their own expectations. A leader is also able to teach, to convey both physical skills and moral characteristics to those around him, and inspires those people to mimic him in his behaviors and attitudes.
 
  “领导者有着梦想成真的远见和信念。他激发出成功的力量和能量。”
                                                         ——拉夫·劳伦

    领导者被认为是有着积极肯干的态度，乐观进取的人。所遇到的障碍不会成为他通往成功道路上的障碍。相反地，他们会成为要面对要克服甚至要从中学习的挑战。一个领导者相信失败代表他有了改进的机会，并且由于前一次失败学习到的经验，下一次的表现会大有长进。

    领导者并不是指着一个地方，叫他的属下过去，然后告诉他们怎样达到一个目标。相反地，领导者走在队伍的前方，迅速领先其他人，成为开路先锋。领导者向其他人示范事情应该怎样去完成，他本人比其他人都更努力地达成自己的目标。

    无论你是想努力在你的事业成为一个领袖还是仅仅想在生活中成为领导者，这里有许多经验教训和品质将会在任何一个方面都助你一臂之力。

    想想这些特点然后对照一下你自己。你是一个领导者吗？你能成为一个领导者吗？

1、领导者必须有远见：这可能是你最远大的目标，或者是一种成就感。无论是哪一种，一个领导者必须要设想好他的目标，他想在公司里达到什么位置，或者他想在他的家庭里有什么地位。每件事一旦有了良好的设想就有了一个为之奋斗的目标。

2、 领导者必须会建立关系：好 的人际关系技巧是任何一个领袖必须具备的。一个隐士永远不能成就伟大事业，无论他多么内行，因为圈子里没人会注意到他。领导者在信任、尊重、合作和团体配 合的基础上建立良好的人际关系。一个领袖不会问其他人能为他做什么，相反他会问他能为其他人做什么。一个领导者激发其他人加入他对成功的探索之中。

 3、领导者必须能够运筹帷幄：成功的领导者不仅有伟大的远见，他们还能够制定计划成功地达到他们的目标。领导者们知道他们在实现梦想过程中应该取得什么成就，应该克服什么困难，应该得到什么资源。

4、领导者必须能够解决争端：一个好的领导者能够从各个角度发现争端并且查出它的根本原因。除了意识到他人的情绪和观点之外，领导着还能到意识到并且认可自己在争端中扮演的角色。他能够和其他相关的人通力合作，成功地解决争端同时保证人际关系不被破坏。

5、领导者必须会很好地解决问题：无 论想得有多好，实现目标的道路总是会充满着坑坑洼洼。通过周密的计划能够铺平道路，但是总有着一些不平可能会让你有翻车的危险。一个好的领导者能够提前意 识到这一点并相应地作出安排，在原先的计划出岔子的时候提供一个后备的计划顶上。领导者能够快速地思维，能够收集所有可以获得的信息，分辨出事实，并且运 用一些常识拿出一个行得通的解决方法。

在生活中，领导者并不一定是地位最高的人，或者有着最显赫职业头衔的人，或者是声称管家的那个人。一个领导者用他的行动在他的同伴中树立起信任和威信的人。 一个领导者的建议被频频征询，但从不强加于他人头上。一个领导者对杰出的向往和追求使他周围的人都相形见绌。一个领导者看得到他人的价值，激发每个人做到 他们的最好，甚至经常给他们机会超过他们自己的期望。一个领导者会教导他人，将有形的技术和无形的道德品质教给身边的人，激发他们在行为和态度上都效仿 他。