The Three Pillars of Leadership: How to Become a Better Leader

Introduction

Think of a great leader. What traits do they possess? How do they conduct themselves? Regardless of the example, good leaders tend to embody three essential pillars of leadership: perseverance in the face of adversity, the ability to develop trust with those around them, and the ability to inspire others. Developing these skills creates a balanced leader: assertive yet kind, strong yet approachable, and intelligent yet empathetic. As a growing leader, there is unlimited potential, and The Three Pillars of Leadership are guides along a path to becoming a better leader.

The First Pillar: Perseverance When Facing Adversity

The first pillar of leadership is fundamental to a leader’s composure and wisdom. When anyone is faced with adversity, there are many ways to react to it. Some push it away and don’t deal with it, some let it take control of their lives, but some use it as a tool for a lesson. Adverse situations are nothing more than lesson plans for an experienced leader. They teach people what went wrong, how to fix it, and how to avoid the same situation again. Further, if the adversity ever becomes failure, one can look back on it in a new light and determine the lesson that can be learned from it. A leader can look at failures and use them to better themselves and others. The best leaders don’t only strive for self-improvement, but also the improvement of those around them.

The Second Pillar: The Development of Trust

All leaders need to have connections with those around them. This creates their influence and bearing on the people that follow them. The way leaders can gain unique and strong influence is by developing trust with those around them. This requires people to step down from their pedestals and be humble. Without humility, there isn’t relatability. Leaders need to be among their supporters if they want to be relatable and gain their trust. This sort of contact is essential to building a team that is together as one. If leaders are disconnected from their group, a separation is fostered that makes them support and trust that their supporters would normally provide them with.

The Third Pillar: The Ability to Inspire Others

This pillar goes hand in hand with the prior one. Inspiration can only be achieved through trust. A leader’s ability to inspire is one of the more difficult skills to learn. For one, a leader has to truly understand what they believe in. Further, a leader has to be proficient in one of two fields. One, leading by example. Two, strong use of diction. Either of these skills can be used to inspire those around them. Leading by example is a form of silent inspiration. Rosa Parks, an activist for African Americans, is an amazing instance of leadership by example. Parks sat on the bus in silence, leading by example for millions of Americans to come; without saying a single word. Leading with words is exemplified by another great leader. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech was masterfully crafted to inspire Americans to stand up and fight against racism. As a leader, it’s important that one of these two forms of inspiration is used as a tool to rally support for your cause.

Conclusion

Leaders should always strive to be better for their people. However, there are many challenges that will pursue them along the way. The Three Pillars of Leadership are steadfast supports through an earthquake of adversity that faces leaders.