The following was written by a high school student writing an essay for her final exam:
"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage
to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the
needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but
becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of
his intent. In the end, leaders are much like eagles... they
don't flock, you find them one at a time." Hard work, profound
dedication, and encouragement toward others are what entitle
an individual to be a leader.
A strong work ethic is one important quality of an adroit
leader. As the saying goes: "There are always two choices,
two paths to take. One is easy. And its only reward is that
it's easy." Hard work and intense dedication can only make you
better, both mentally and skillfully. If others see one person
working as hard as they can 100% of the time, they will work
harder for that one person. No matter how unmotivated people
are, if just one person steps up and takes the lead, everybody
else will follow. Leaders motivate others.
Many people find themselves working harder when they know that
they get something out of it. Just by hearing a few pushing
words that motivate and encourage, people force themselves to
work harder. Leaders are usually the ones who ignore their own
accomplishments to commend others for theirs. The leader keeps
everybody's head up at all times, as they work harder and harder,
and more diligently toward their goals. The number one thing
that a leader tries to avoid is making people feel guilty or to
look down on them because leaders bring others higher in the
world, usually with the result being success. As a noble
person once said, "There are high spots in all of our lives,
and most of them come through encouragement from someone else."
Hard work from one person makes other work harder. Vehement
dedication shows others the success that comes through it.
Encouragement and support for others make others feel good
about themselves and give them something else to work for.
These are all very significant traits that a leader must
possess. Don't wait around for things to happen, make this
world what you really want it to be, be a leader.
