Great speeches alone do not make you a great leader.

Introduction

Having the gift to speak well is a great skill. Great speeches make a significant difference in the lives of others. A great speech can encourage you, inspire you and influence you and provide you with so much hope. I encourage those individuals who have that ability to continue to use their voice to help others.

However, this article is about the selection of a leader simply because of a person’s ability to speak well. Too many times we equate great speeches with great leaders and as a result we overlook or underestimate those that are not skilled orators.

There are so many other qualities other than a great speech that make you a great leader. In the book of Exodus, Moses said that he was not an eloquent speaker, as he was slow in speech and slow in tongue. Despite that, God chose him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.

Other qualities that make you a great leader

While some people may not be able to speak eloquently, they can communicate effectively and that is what is important as a leader. This involves making sure what you want is understood by all the relevant people. It also involves communicating frequently. Your communication must be clear and concise.

A great leader should also be willing to listen to others and implement their suggestions and give credit to those who provided the ideas.

A great leader should have empathy for others. Always put yourself in the position of others. Show concern and care for others.

A great leader is more than a talker. A great leader gets things done. Too many times, there is too much talk and no action.

A great leader should delegate. Leaders don’t have to take on everything, especially if it is an area that they are not an expert in. Even if it is a familiar area, leaders can easily get burned out, so it is best to delegate. In so doing, it makes others feel a part of the team.

Talking about team, leaders should be team players.  It shouldn’t be about “I” and “me” but about us. Make people feel apart of the team. Involve them. Don’t assume they don’t have anything to bring to the table.

A great leader should not be showing favoritism to people of the same political persuasion, or the same colour, or the same race or nationality or the role people occupy. Treat everyone the same and as important people of your organization. Everybody has a role to play, and every role is important.

A great leader should be honest. Speak the truth because when you are dishonest, it creates a lot of mistrust and unhappy people.

A great leader should not be revengeful and should not take constructive feedback personally. Constructive feedback can make you a great leader if you accept and implement the feedback.

Conclusion

Whether you can speak well or not, you can still lead effectively. If you have those qualities listed above, you can be a successful leader. Please do not equate great speakers are as great leaders. There are some great speakers who are great leaders but not all of them. Likewise, there are some people who are not great speakers but can lead well.