Spirit of Leadership

THE SPIRIT OF LEADERSHIP

• the spirit of self-empowerment—a desire to see others succeed • the spirit of self-improvement—a personal commitment to grow • the spirit of self-discipline—a commitment to a self-imposed standard • the spirit of humility—a consciousness of self and one’s strengths and weaknesses • the spirit of unlimited ability—a belief in one’s potential as raw material • the spirit of possibilities—a commitment to unlimited thinking • the spirit of self-acceptance—an embracing of one’s total humanity, including one’s strengths, weaknesses, personality, physical appearance, defects, and gifts In the following pages, I want to address the heart of this book, and that is the qualities and characteristics of the spirit of leadership—the unique attitudes that all true leaders possess, and the fact that you can cultivate and develop them. These attitudes are necessary if you are to experience the manifestation of your leadership capacity. They can be learned, developed, cultivated, and refined through practice and responsibility. When they come together in your life, then you will fulfill the defini tion of a leader: You will have the capacity to influence others through inspiration motivated by a passion, gener ated by a vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose. To paraphrase Paul Meier,

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