WHAT MAKES A BCBP LEADER GREAT?
The column by Francis J. Kong on which this article is based was published in the newspapers some months ago. It was entitled “What makes great sales people great”. We have adapted it for BCBP leaders and members who will be the leaders of the future. –Editor
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There are leaders and then there are great leaders. In his professional work as a consultant Francis Kong compiled a list of those qualities which he believes great people possess, the qualities that not only make them successful, but also make their businesses, or in our instance the BCBP community, successful.
1. Great leaders are good with people.
They possess fantastic people skills. They want to please their members and members-to-be, and this is why they would inconvenience themselves for the convenience of their members. They walk the extra mile, and they build great relationships.
2. Great BCBP leaders are great with consistent and fruitful service.
They don’t show up only when needed or during assemblies. They visit their members and keep them informed on the latest updates and happenings in the BCBP community. They encourage the attendance and participation of members in all BCBP activities.
3. Great leaders are determined to succeed in moving the BCBP forward in the marketplace.
These leaders are driven; they are not defeated by rejections and negativity. They take each happening as a challenge to grow better and closer to God. Sometimes they win, sometimes they lose, but they bounce back and become better and stronger in faith and action.
4. Great leaders work extra hard.
It is amazing to note that the great leaders are the same people who read a lot of books and attend workshops, recollections and retreats, often having a spiritual director to help them along in their personal journey. They put in extra hours of work and prayertime. They maintain a high energy level. They have very high work ethics and integrity of character. They do not waste time.
5. Great leaders listen more and speak less.
This leader views himself less of a leader and more of a trusted friend. He practices empathic listening, listening with his heart, before he speaks. He willingly gives the interests of the members and of the BCBP community an important place in his decisions and in his life.
6. Great BCBP leaders practice what they ask others to do.
They have done their homework. They know the BCBP community, its V/M, Core Values and Best Practices. They practice every day the commitments they made in the BCBP Commitment Card. They are creative in their role as leader and look for ways to get things done with Jesus and Mary as their models.
7. Great leaders are actually humble people.
They do not flaunt their successes. They cooperate with the leaders in authority over them, and they, in turn, lead their members to become better members and leaders-to-be. They realize that without the support of their members, they would not be effective as leaders.
8. Great leaders are professionals through and through.
Great BCBP leaders have great Christian attitudes. They do not engage in distasteful green jokes or behave like jerks. They do not indulge in spreading rumors or backbiting others. They always try to bring out the good qualities in others.
9. Great leaders are careful with details.
These leaders are very careful with details, and they execute their plans very well. They are not afraid of being accountable for their actions, plans and programs.
10. Great BCBP leaders are trustworthy.
The great leader is sincere, honest, and trustworthy. He is not pushy. And, here is the secret, according to Kong: the great leader is always concerned with the mission. His joy is to be able to serve his members’ needs and to have contributed to the well-being and growth of the BCBP community and its dynamic impact in the marketplace.
