Episode 300: "The Greatest Leadership Attribute in Life and Career!"

SELDI Podcast with Tony Williams

Greetings, Leaders.

Our attributes as leaders are the distinct inner qualities that make us unique.

We are encouraged to improve ourselves consistently during our life and career journey.

One of the practical approaches is listing five attributes you believe are your strengths and developing them.

Take a moment and write down five attributes you believe are yours.

A search on the internet will yield results of many studies of great leaders and their qualities.

One that I recently discovered is the attribute "love."

Love is not an attribute we list as one of our defining qualities because of its association with physical aspects.

A closer look at the attribute of love reveals a much deeper insight and awareness of the enormous impact for good in leading ourselves, families, teams, and companies.

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth." 1 Corinthians 13:4–8a

In my early career, these qualities were not important to me. I desired to be an excellent communicator. I worked hard at developing this attribute. I mastered the fundamentals but did not connect with the people I wanted to reach.

Then, God blessed me with this insight in the book of Corinthians. This quote; "And now I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." 1 Corinthians 13:1

Love never fails! It was as if God instructed me to lead in love for people. I decided to love people. It is a choice we make and a gift God gives us.

Love is the greatest of all attributes and an attribute of God himself.

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God."

1 John 4:7a

Think of the person whose love impacted you. The warm feeling you experience, the smile that comes to your face, and the truths they shared with you in love helped define the leader you are today.

Committing to loving people impacts everything! Love includes unselfish service to others; we show we care.

Our lives and careers advance when we intentionally choose to love and lead. When people become our priority in life and career, and we move outside of ourselves, we enjoy the freedom of adventure in reaching goals and accomplishing more.

Putting others first enables them to listen to us without being defensive. Others have a sense that lets them know when they are loved or cared about. Love empowers our attributes and actions.

"And now the most important attributes remain faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

We look not only at our interests but also at the interests and outcomes of others. The win is the outcome. Love never fails.

Choose love as your crucial attribute.

Love is the catalyst for the greater works than these will you do.

Victory!