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Qualities of a Leader ¡°He who plans and prepares carefully will find himself in a favourable position and win victory; he who does so carelessly will find himself in an unfavourable position and win no victory.¡± -Sun Zi¡¯s Art of War Whether a war is being fought, or a business is being started, or a simple project from school is being tackled by a group of students, one of the most important keys to success is the leader of the venture, whatever it may be. It is the leader¡¯s responsibility to see the venture through to a decisive end, and to guide it through the steps needed to reach that point. It is the leader¡¯s responsibility to motivate and organize the men under him/her, and to ensure their continued support of the venture. It is also the leader¡¯s responsibility if the venture fails. The team, whether it is an army, consulting firm, or kitchen staff, has its central pillar in the form of a general, boss, or head chef, and relies on this pillar in order to exist. Therefore, it is essential that this leader have some sort of idea of what to do, or at least how to act. Over time, these concepts will evolve into qualities, at least in a successful leader. It has been often observed that successful leaders usually share at least one or more qualities that help them achieve their goal. These common qualities have been hotly debated over time, and the opposing camps have supported anything from intimidation to grace, fairness to familiarity, and wisdom to blissful ignorance. In different areas of the world, different virtues have been supported, depending entirely on the culture and philosophy of that specific region. For example, most cultures have favored bravery, some have acknowledged wisdom or trickery, while others have praised faith, devotion, and loyalty. However, some of the most important virtues that many have overlooked include practicality, and deceptivity. These two have, since the beginning of time, been condemned by priests, philosophers, and other rulers alike, as being ¡°evil¡±, ¡°corrupt¡±, and ¡°unholy¡±. However, when combined properly with wisdom and a strong power base, they will work together to form the basis of a solid venture. Of these four main ingredients, practicality, deceptivity, wisdom, and a strong power base, the last is the only one that cannot be learned by long periods of study, or extreme concentration. It is, however, very important, for without a strong power base, the leader will not be able to wield any power, and will be ineffective. In a recent interview with Rod Birchall, principal of the newly founded Utahloy Gardens School, he points out that, ¡°History would tend to say that leaders must keep a strong and reliable power base to stay in power, e.g. many seats in a House of Parliament or, a strong and reliable army (which is the case with most dictatorships).¡± This power base may differ from situation to situation, depending on the type of leader. Often, in dictatorships, a strong and loyal army can function as a power base, and in democratic societies, such as America, the support of the people via the local politicians is needed.
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