There are many reasons why people will decide to follow a leader. It could be there track record, their compassion, their charisma, or their drive to succeed. Some leaders have all of those characters, other only have one or two or other strengths entirely. Though people are drawn to these characteristics, they will be practically useless if the leader is not a mentally or emotionally strong person. If you want to be a mentally strong leader, here are a few things that you’ll need to be able to recognize and operate under.
- Acknowledging Weakness is OK – A mentally and emotionally strong leader is in touch with their weaknesses and is willing to own that. You simply must understand who you are so that you can appropriately operate in your strengths while leaning into the strengths of others. Without this skill, you will not be an effective delegator. Be ok with asking for help!
- You Can’t Have All the Answers. Don’t Act Like it. – A strong leader is willing to say, “I don’t know.” Instead of fearing the unknown a good leader will take it as a challenge to learn and connect with the people who have the knowledge, refusing to be threatened by someone who is smarter.
- You’re Never “There Yet” – A mentally strong person will constantly be in a state of looking toward the future, seeking how to progress and get better. Staying in a position of comfort is a weak position. We must always be placing ourselves in over our heads so that we can be continually growing and strengthening as a leader. There is always room to improve.
- Character is King – Above all else, character should be on the throne. It’s far more important than your reputation. If you want to really be the leader that the deepest part of your heart desires to be, you must choose to do what’s right above what is easy or most profitable. People will deeply respect you for that and you will have more self-respect as a result as well.
- Emotions Can’t be Trusted – A strong leader observes their emotional patterns and learns to understand themselves on a deep level. You must be cognizant of when you’re most emotionally radical and choose not to make major decisions or interact with people during that time. Identify your patterns and make your toughest decisions and have your toughest interactions when you’re not in an emotionally low period.
Remember that mental strength is developed. It’s not something that you’re born with and it needs to be intentionally cultivated. Work toward building your mental and emotional stability and remove the things from your life that hinder you. In order to thrive and succeed in life, you need to be at your best. Don’t let anything hold you back!