Leaders That Make a
Difference
If you thought you could make a difference, would you
be willing to try? If you discovered you possessed
leadership qualities and skill, would you use them? If
you knew that you could motivate others to make a difference,
would you be inspired to do so?
Throughout the upcoming year, I hope that you will make a difference in your
leadership and discover along the way that you do possess one or all of the twelve
qualities that MAKE YOU A LEADER. The book, “Making a Difference: Twelve
Qualities That Make You a Leader” by Sheila Murray Bethel discusses the twelve
qualities that make you a leader. Together we will discover the twelve
qualities through the upcoming year and how they apply to your leadership in
NALS.
Do you have one or more of these qualities? A leader:
- Has a mission that matters
- Is a big thinker
- Has high ethics
- Masters change
- Is sensitive
- Is a risk taker
- Is a decision maker
- Uses power wisely
- Communicates effectively
- Is a team builder
- Is courageous
- Is committed
A leader has a mission that matters. Your mission
is your dream, your vision, or your purpose that drives
you. How do you start? Remember, nothing is
off-limits, nothing is out of reach, and there are no restrictions. Your
mission as a leader can take on many roles, membership
retention, membership recruitment, attendance at meetings,
increasing the leadership team, or just to lead by example. Whatever
your mission is--make it matter. Write it down and look
at it often.
Do you know what the NALS mission is? NALS, the
association for legal professionals, is dedicated to enhancing
the competences and contributions of the legal services
profession. Where have you seen the NALS mission? Look
at the website, written down and looked at often.
A leader is also a big thinker. It is the small
things that can add up to the big things. When you
decided to make a difference, which inspires you into building
your mission, which fires creativity, which creates ideas,
which attracts energetic and committed members, and which
reinforces your decision to make a difference. All
of these small things add up to big things. First
you became a leader; you were inspired and made it your
mission to reach further; you formed committees to help
generate great ideas to reach your mission; others became
involved in your mission because they knew the members
were enthusiastic, driven and committed to the mission;
with all of the members behind your mission and realizing
that they made a difference, your membership has increased
greatly and your association is growing leaps and bounds. Small
things do add up to BIG things!
You have taken that first step, now write down your mission
and think big.
