Leadership takes on paramount importance in this time when the world is going through great changes, as many people are feeling stress, anxiety, and a lack of direction. Success and harmony among any group of people, be it family, company, community or a country, is tightly intertwined with the quality of its leaders. There is a difference that separates those who are average leaders from those that achieve enduring greatness. Perhaps we would like to examine the answer to these questions:

• What determines the merits of the leader?
• And why are some leaders able to leave an enormous contribution and a legacy?

There are those in the ancient East whose accomplishments go beyond mere earthly successes, to leaving a legacy based upon the enduring positive human qualities.Those who we revere express qualities we admire and those great ones go beyond personal interest, for the greater good of all, leaving their mark throughout history.

The Indian emperor Ashoka is one great example. In 260 BCE, Ashoka waged a bitterly destructive war against the state of Kalinga. It was a military success for Ashoka, but the realization that it cost so many lives left him deeply regretful. At that turning point in his life, he converted to Buddhism and immersed himself in promoting peace. Ashoka established one of the greatest empires in Indian history based upon love, peace, and harmony. His whole life was dedicated to serving his people and his legacy and spirit are more relevant today.

It was Chinese philosopher Confucius who said: “He contributes assiduously but does not boast of it, he achieves merits but takes no credit from it. This is honesty and sincerity at their greatest height. It means that a man of noble character has achieved great merit yet places himself below others.”

A great leader serves others through humility and the notion of servant leadership parallels with the ideas in my book, “The Chill Panda: Dealing with Change in Work and Life”.

“Life is a process of becoming. Think of who you want to become and the qualities you would like to express in this world through learning from nature. Emulate the greatness of nature, such as courage, wisdom, harmony, kindness, gratitude, intelligence, generosity, humility, integrity, and strength, and incorporate these ten qualities into your life. These are qualities that are not only essential for success in leadership but also for success in all of life’s endeavors as a human being.”

Courage
Take action toward worthy goals in spite of fear.

Wisdom
Be guided by your heart, conscience, and inner compass.

Harmony
Live at peace with yourself and the world.

Kindness
Be kind to everyone and all living beings.

Gratitude
Be thankful and appreciative for everything in your life.

Intelligence
Develop and harness the mind’s potential.

Generosity
Contribute to others without expecting anything in return.

Strength
Exercise your willpower in overcoming difficulties.

Humility
Know that you are no greater than those whom you serve.

Integrity
Be true to and stay congruent with your thoughts, words, and actions.

About Joseph Rodarick Law

Joseph is the author of Authentic Power and Greatness and The Chill Panda: Dealing with Change in Work and Life. Joseph’s readers include numerous influential international political and business leaders.

He speaks regularly at international conferences and Fortune 500 companies, such as J.P. Morgan, L’Oréal, Johnson & Johnson, as well as at leading universities. He has interviewed people from all walks of life — heads of states, billionaires, CEOs, bestselling authors, celebrities, and a Nobel Prize laureate.

Joseph is a columnist for the Forbes Magazine. He has been interviewed by international media outlets, such as Yahoo! Finance, The Australian Financial Review, Sky News, the Financial Times, and the Wall Street Journal.

Joseph has worked with United Nations Sustainable Stock Exchanges Initiative and is the co-founder of JC Happiness Charity Foundation.

Reach him at www.josephrodaricklaw.com
LinkedIn: https://hk.linkedin.com/in/josephlaw