Today, this blog post will describe the personal attributes necessary to becoming a leader in your field.

In the book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey, the author makes a statement “Trust is the highest form of human motivation.”  If you want to be a leader in your industry or field you must realize the importance of being someone people can trust. 

Honesty is a key factor in personal development and many people often wonder why they might come off as sounding insincere when they are speaking frankly on a subject or when giving advice. The problem is usually a matter of their lack of positive feelings and respect they have toward themselves. 

Honesty is really a matter of personal courage.  Not the courage to merely tell someone a piece of information they might not wish to hear, but the maturity necessary to understand what is true about a situation.  For instance, just because you wish to have the information for a report in a few hours doesn’t necessary mean this will occur and promises should be tempered by a realistic understanding of all possibilities not just what you wish to be true.

Showing the same respect to others that you would expect for yourself sounds like a concept most of us are familiar with, but the sad fact is many people throw this idea away in favor of a ‘just doing business’ philosophy that sends their own personal moral compass spinning widely. 

Holding to a true moral code isn’t just a matter of upholding some empty principles.  Having a solid moral base and treating those around you with respect means everyone you come in contact with will have a better understanding of who you are.  They will know what to expect from you at any given time, and you become a respected constant in their life.  

Empathy isn’t a word heard in many boardrooms, but perhaps it should be more spoken more often.  It means having an understanding of what those around you might be thinking or feeling.  This might sound like a ‘touchy-feely’ attribute you can do without, but this isn’t actually the case.

Being without empathy when trying to work with employees, customers, business owners, or even those who might feel competitive toward you has the same effect as being blind and deaf to their motivations since without this understanding their actions will seem unfathomable.  

The old saying you can’t really understand someone until you walk around in their shoes is very true.  Often when stores are left with unsold merchandise, or a dealer sits with stock no one is buying it’s because they missed the boat on what is currently motivating their customers or clients.  Understanding their client base better or having an ear to what is going on in their community might have saved them time and money.

While developing these attributes doesn’t really fit in the professional spectrum of traits these qualities are what you need to build the trust and respect of those around you.