Elements of Successful Leadership

WILLIAM PETERSON
Director, Utah State Extension Service
The following rather unusual presentation on leadership, part of a talk given adult leaders in Utah in 1935. The talk has the merit of being direct and specific and contains many valuable suggestions.

A LEADER SHOULD EARLY DEVELOP a definite philosophy of life. Life is not a problem—it is a task to be lived.
2. A leader must have definite standards of living. He will soon be known by those standards. If he is to be entrusted with the 4-H Club boys and girls, it must be known that his standards of living are going to contribute to the character and upbuilding of these young people.
3. A leader must be absolutely sincere. He cannot live a double life.
4. A successful leader must cultivate a love for his fellows. He will not be willing to give of his time and talent unless he has a feeling toward every other person of complete fellowship and interest.
5. A leader must establish a .confidence with all his associates, so much so that the populace has confidence that he will do as he agrees.
6. A leader must develop a clear vision. He must look ahead of the club.
7. A leader must be open to suggestion. An education is a lifetime effort.
8. A leader must maintain a scientific attitude. He should live today in the light of today, but if new facts develop tomorrow, he should be willing to adjust himself to the new truth.
9. A leader must be able to stimulate initiative and vision in others.
10. A leader must be willing to analyze and benefit by the experience of others.
11. A leader must be sympathetic and forgiving. He must not be vindictive, nor must he hold a grudge.
12. A leader should live the golden rule. He should be willing to accord to others that which he expects himself.
13. A leader must have an abundance of faith at all times.
14. A leader must have tact. There are many ways of doing many things.
15. A leader must manifest an ever good nature. Even in the face of accusation he cannot afford to be offended.
16. A leader must maintain a good sense of keen humor. Seeing the humorous side of the question many times lifts us out of the difficulty.
17. A leader must never be discouraged. The followers may become discouraged, but the leader must carry them on.
18. A leader must carry constant buoyancy. When you talk with him he should actually buoy you up to unusual effort, a more pleasant outlook, greater hope, and real vision.
19. A leader must have a lot of good common sense.
20. A leader must believe in things and see the good in them. No single person has ever been blessed with all the attributes of success. The weakest individuals have some unusual strength. To see this strength and apply it will make strong leadership.
21. A leader in the outset must be willing to give service—for the love of it.
22. A leader must be thrifty. By this I mean a leader must be known as a person honest and conscientious.
23. A leader must be dependable. He must keep his appointments.
24. A leader must be clean, moral, and wholesome.
25. A leader must not cheapen life. He must maintain a personal pride and develop a personality that young people will look upon as ideal.
26. A leader must develop a definite love of attainment. He must be able to stimulate this love of attainment in others.
27. A leader must establish a reputation for honesty and dependability.
28. A leader must at all times be resourceful. Many problems may come to him without a solution.
29. A leader must fight if necessary. This, however, should be a last resort.
30. A leader should develop good manners and pleasant ways.
31. A leader must always have a self-starter. If possible, he must be able to stimulate a self-starter in others.
32. A leader should maintain some pride in his appearance.
33. A leader should develop respect and regard for all effort. There is a feeling that doctors, teachers, lawyers, and preachers are in a higher stratum of society than the tradesmen and the farmers. A good builder is just as essential in a community as a good banker.
34. A leader should be courteous and respectful to all he meets.
35. When a leader has developed living standards and a philosophy of life, let him have courage enough to live them. Remember that leadership means the responsibility of directing many enterprises. All that we are may be classed in three elements: Inheritance, association, and effort. As leaders, be sure our association is what it should be to stimulate the best effort in ourselves and in those with whom we associate.