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By : Natanael Filho    

 This week while talking to a friend I was surprised by the following statement: - One day I even thought to be a supervisor or manager (leader) but I now see that the best choice is keep improving my career and forget this desire. At first it may seem somewhat contradictory to current theories of professional and personal growth but if we look carefully to the essence of this statement we easily conclude that this self analysis has a indicative value of a professional who understands that not only of leaders lives a leading company. Nowadays when we stop by a bookstore we clearly observe people searching for self-help and developing leader’s books not only for business but to help him on some other activities too. I am not applauding or highlighting those who do not want to be a leader, but we need to understand the value of this personal choice for those who, for whatever reason, choose not to seek the job of leadership. Often an excellent professional becomes a mediocre leader for the simple fact that he was not asked if he was willing to be a leader. Leadership requires continuous improvement, preparation and internal flame for this new, difficult and challenging position. He needs first to answer to himself to make the decision.

Since ever we are evaluated by our positions among our friends and at that point we were already challenged to have answers or attitudes that demonstrate our potential to lead or direct the classmates in school, in a band or even any sport team. Whether by force or by our wit we certainly become our parent’s targets when they see somehow we lead a given situation. They see us as a natural leader. It is true that some of us already bring something different that we mostly call natural charisma, sympathy or even leadership but these good characteristics are still far from what is really required to become a good leader. Leadership requires a continuous learning and dedication to the development and applicability of the characteristics of a leader in a day to day relationship. It requires a radical change in behavior and challenging concepts that once we had about leadership and all these concepts are widely disseminated in our society. In the past we had only bosses not leaders! We had people that gave orders to be followed. Nowadays we must have leaders for our reference, leaders that can light our way to success. A leader is not that kind of person that "knows everything" or just gives orders, he must resign his own dreams to become a facilitator for his team.

To become a true leader you must walk to serve by doing what others need (not what they want), establishing limits and creating standards of work, leveraging relationships of mutual trust, making the right choices and leading people to do what you want because of your personal influence and not by your hierarchical authority, listening with respect, walking and working together, delegating tasks and creating an environment for personal and professional growth at work. It is serving all the time! Leadership will require you to be a role for your direct reports and righteousness to recognize your own mistakes, it will require you to give autonomy (empowerment) to others and you will be required to manage your time very well (time management) as part of your time will be spent with your employees, be fair enough, pay attention to details (a leader must walk through workplace where things are really happening), be demanding (Quality) and humanized (HR and Environment) at the same time.

More than an art, leadership is a matter of changing personal behavior and attitudes. Even for those who already have natural characteristics of leadership it is important to keep in mind that there will be situations where different management techniques and conflict resolution need to be learned and applied, and the challenge of being positioned between company obligations and goals and the duties and goals of employees is hard and will happen forever.

Remember that leadership is accepting the challenge of promoting growth and development of others using the main features of a good leader always at the right time on every situation aiming for a solution that meets the personal and corporate interests. It may seem simple but it is not.