It takes guts to be a leader. But it takes everything to be a good one, and successful at that. It takes hard work, patience, courage, respect, and passion to lead the pact. Some say that nobody is born a leader. Others say they are made. Actually, both are true. It depends on how you get to be one. One thing is for sure. It is not easy to be a good leader.

A true leader actually does not lead all the way. He stays beside the team and acts like one of them. He goes with them so that he guides and assists the whole team in achieving one goal. Also, he stands behind them so that he could see everything that’s going on and he is there to support their backs.

There are lot stumbling blocks of leadership and here are some I have identified:

1. No vision and mission. A team does not know where to go without vision and mission. The leader should always remind the team about their common goal.
2. Lack of knowledge. Little knowledge is dangerous and ignorance of the law excuses no one. A leader should know which way to go and what to do. He knows the capacity and capability of each team member. He should be aware of what’s going on around him. He identifies the obstacles and hurdles as well as the do’s and don’ts.
3. Refuses to listen. If a leader refuses to listen to suggestions and opinions, chances are, he will never know what the team needs. It is not always the leader who sees the problems and challenges because the team members are at the frontline most of the time. Two heads are better than one.
4. Does not accept mistakes and defeat. A good leader comes from stumbles. He is a leader who has experienced challenges and sacrifices. He defies failures but is humble enough to accept them.
5. Hesitation and fear. Trauma and bad experience is always a common problem.
6. Taking shortcuts. Patience is the key to be a successful leader. He does not have to choose the easy way. A leader should opt for the right path, no matter how difficult and long it is.
7. Self-centered. He sees himself before others. He often forgets the welfare of the team because he is after his own benefits. The benefit of many is his last priority.
8. Too dependent of others. Some leaders are not actually leaders because they cannot decide during tough times. They are too scared to make a decision without the approval of everybody. He is not confident with what he has to say and to offer.
9. Refusing help. On the other hand, some leaders are too proud to ask for help from others. They are ashamed to ask for suggestions and opinions. He is not open to other ideas because he thinks that every decision should be coming from him.
10. Some leaders are intimidated by members who have good performance because they are afraid to be overshadowed by that member. He cannot see the potential the members have because he is afraid that the members are better than him. A real leader should train and encourage his members to be leaders someday.

Those are the known stumbling blocks of leadership but it is not always the leader at fault in not achieving the good leadership that one is looking for. There should be symbiosis. The team members should also play their part. They should believe in the capacity of their leader and respect his ideas and suggestions. Behind a good leader are good members and a good team as a whole.