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5 STEPS EVERY YOUNG ASPIRING LEADER SHOULD TAKE.



  Leadership is a ladder and some of the greatest leaders in human history were bold enough to take the first step up that ladder and kept on going until they attained a very enviable position in leadership. Just like the saying "a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step," today I'll be outlining the first five step on that leadership ladder and leave you to decide whether to make the move or not. First on the list is;


  • Locate the right vision: leadership is an expression of one's inert potential. There is a deposit of leadership potential in every man, you'll find this to be true if you understand the true scope of leadership. Leadership is not limited to occupying great positions in organizations or giving speeches to a large audience, leadership is broad. For instance the boy who discovers his ability to draw and begins to deploy this same talent in a creative and constructive manner is already on his way to becoming a leader, likewise is the cleaner who has a special taste for neatness and demonstrates the same in her job. True leadership is an expression of your self. You can become a leader by doing that thing you enjoy because its a quality built into you by your manufacturer. Vision therefore, connotes a discovery of the purpose for you existence as prescribed by your manufacturer. You are created to lead, but your leadership adventure begins only when you discover what you were created for. The biro was created for the purpose of writing, but someone who fails to acknowledge this purpose could use the biro to stab another fellow. What such a person has just done is to abuse the purpose of that tool. This is why Dr Myles Munroe said "when the purpose of a thing is not known abuse is inevitable." This is why it is not enough to discover vision, it is much more important to discover the right vision. Like the biro many have deployed their potentials the wrong way therefore bringing more harm to the world they live in. The right vision helps you to use you potentials and giftings for the welfare and prosperity of the world and not for its destruction.(Gen. 1:28). How can I add value to my world? What can I do to be a blessing to humanity? Where can I make the most impact? Which of my endowments is the world crying out for? When can I start to deploy my potentials for the betterment of humanity? The right vision carries detailed answers to all these questions and many more.
  • Develop the right attitude: How high you go up that leadership ladder is as determined by this second step - ATTITUDE. Possessing a wrong attitude can end a mans leadership journey before it actually begins. This is why so many people occupying great leadership positions are in trouble today. They think leadership is all about them and failed to understand that true leadership is all about others. Leadership is not about you, its about others. Don't become a leader because you want to be served, because leadership is all about serving others. Don't desire leadership because you want to get to the top, because leadership is all about helping other to get to the top. Jesus became a great leader by his commitment to serve others, this principle guided his every step. He was not out for what he would get, he was out to see hat value he could add.(Luke 22:25-27/Phil. 2:5-9). Genuine leadership is not self seeking but it seeks the empowerment of others, it does not seek to bow down the beds of others for self gratification but aims at raising the head of the the downcast. Greatness is a function is selfless service. You must be sold out to the greater cause of serving humanity and making the world a better place. Don't be out for what to get, but focus on what to contribute. This is the winning attitude, it is the right attitude for leadership. It is this mindset that distinguishes flourishing leaders from struggling leaders.
  • Locate the right mentor(s): Mentorship has played a great role in leadership history. Some great leaders have been instrumental in the upbringing of protégé's who also grew to become great. For instance, i discovered that Brian Tracy a renowned public speaker acknowledged Jim Rohn an equally successful speaker as his mentor. The cheapest way to see farther and accomplish great things in leadership is by standing on the shoulders of mentors. A mentor is one who has gone ahead of you and has attained success in your desired area of leadership. This is why your ability to locate the right mentor and diligently follow in his footsteps is crucial to your leadership success. Average leaders learn from their mistakes but great leaders learn from the mistakes of their mentors. Your chance of success in leadership is boosted under the right mentor. It is very expedient that you invest good amount of time researching and studying potential mentors before selecting the one whose principles and value you agree with. If you don't look up to someone today you may never grow to become someone whom others look up to tomorrow.
  • Keep the right company: Solomon said "He that walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Who you walk with has a subtle way of influencing who you eventually become in life. If you desire to be a leader, you cannot afford to keep company with those who have no passion for leadership or those whose leadership philosophy is contrary to yours.  There was the story of a young man whose father was was a king and as a result was heir to his fathers throne, but he had a bad friend and this friend gave him an evil counsel. By this evil counsel the king's son committed a grave crime by raping his own sister. He was eventually killed and his evil friend came to openly announce his death to the king.(2Sam. 13:1-33). The company you keep will either help you to fulfill you leadership vision or prevent you from attaining leadership success. Friendship either adds to you or subtract from you, it does not leave you at the same spot. This is why you need to carefully select your friends and ensure that they are the right company to keep as you pursue your leadership goals.
  • Read the right books: Books are essentials tools for outstanding impact in life. They sharpen your mind for exceptional productivity. You can't afford to ignore the place of books because they are priceless tools in your quest for leadership success. Two college graduates stepped out of school with two contrasting passions, one had a passion for money while the other had a passion for books. Immediately after college they set out to pursue their passions, the first graduate got a job and was paid $7 per hour, while the second graduate set out on a reading spree. Years later, the the first student was still on his job having secured a raise three times, meanwhile the second had successfully read 600 books and was now worth $200,000 per hour. At this time he was  a major consultant to fortune 500 corporations and governmental organizations including the U.S Navy. Now tell me which would you prefer to be, the first or the second? Reading the right books helps to boost your intellectual property and makes you a force to be reckoned with. People will always consult leaders with a robust knowledge base and this is what reading the right books help you to achieve.
  In conclusion, you must understand that leadership is a journey, and until you take the first step you may never arrive at your desired destination. There is a leader within every human on the face of the earth, but whether or not that leader will manifest is all dependent on each one's decision. The vision we access, the attitude as develop, the mentors we locate and follow, the company we keep and the books we read determine the leader we eventually become.

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