VISION: A leader has vision. They think about the future with a goal in mind and create a plan to meet their goal. Having a vision means knowing what you are working towards, why you are working on it, and what you want to achieve. Being an advocate can be challenging, but vision can motivate you to keep going by reminding you why you were inspired to start in the first place.
COURAGE: Leaders must have courage. Some of the things you will do as an advocate will be new and frightening, but as a leader, you must be able to step out of your comfort zone and take action even when you are nervous, uncertain, or intimidated.
INTEGRITY: Leaders have integrity, which means they are truthful with themselves and others. Leaders have made a commitment to being honest so that others can depend on and trust what they are saying.
PREPAREDNESS: A leader is prepared to do the work that will help them accomplish their goals. Being a leader who is prepared means others can depend on you to be on time and follow through until the very end.
RESPONSIBLE: A leader that is responsible means they are capable of being trusted. As a leader, you can earn this trust by accepting responsibility for getting results, and taking ownership over what you are doing, no matter if what you are doing goes well or poorly.
CONFIDENT: Leaders are confident; they believe in their ability, trust that they have something to offer, and are sure that others can rely on them. Confidence is important in leadership because it empowers decision making, motivation, enhances creativity and allows you to be the real you. When you are confident, you don’t have doubts holding you back.
DELEGATE: Leaders delegate work to others by recognizing and trusting that others have strengths and skills that can help them do the task. Some people know they can do the job alone, but a leader will allow others to assist. This will inspire others to help achieve a common goal for the greater good of all people.
HUMILITY: Humility helps make a great leader because it adds to your character. A leader with humility understands that the needs of others are just as important as their own. They can also acknowledge that they are not always right and it is okay to accept help from others. Humility helps you stay humble; while staying humble is hard, it is important because you can recognize your great strengths and your weaknesses. This allows you to grow and happily accept help from others.
SELF-MOTIVATED: A leader can stay motivated because they have made a personal commitment to a goal. Through your interest and drive, you can find a way to focus and do the work to achieve the outcome without being forced by others.
ACCOUNTABILITY: A good leader is responsible for their actions. Mistakes happen, and when they do, a leader does what they can to fix them. Accountability in a leader is necessary because it means a leader can both acknowledge their mistakes and learn from them.