Qualities of Great Leaders – Self-Awareness & Positive Self Image
Most leaders have a high level of self-awareness and a positive self-concept. They are confident in what they believe in. When the time comes to take action, great leaders know what to do and have the confidence to do it. “He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened.” ― Lao Tzu
The need for a clear sense of self is critically important to leaders. One of the fundamental precepts of leadership is that it requires an individual to decide on a course of action that intentionally or unintentionally provides a direction for others. Leadership is action that influences the thinking and behavior of others. So, in order to decide to take action, you have to know what you believe in and have the confidence to act on it. We are all value-centered (what we do is based on what we value). It is important to focus on the source of our values – the culture at large, our habits, our traditions or universal principles? Great leaders possess a clear set of positive character principles to augment their self-awareness and self-concept.
Great leaders make things happen – they choose their destiny. This blog is part of a series of blogs focusing on the importance of character and how it impacts leaders and leadership. In my 
This blog is the first in a series of blogs commenting on character traits – particularly positive character traits – and why they are important to leadership. Let’s start with understanding the concept of character. The dictionary definition according to dictionary.com is as follows:
