The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader

John C. Maxwell

Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow

“If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the person you want on the outside. People will want to follow you.  And when that happens, you’ll be able to tackle anything in this world”.

The traits of a leader provided by Maxwell in this book are alphabetized.  And to briefly describe the book, the following are to be found within its covers:

Why do some people consistently inspire others to follow their lead? According to John C. Maxwell, it's the "character qualities" they possess. In The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, Maxwell identifies these top traits as character, charisma, commitment, communication, competence, courage, discernment, focus, generosity, initiative, listening, passion, positive attitude, problem-solving, relationships, responsibility, security, self-discipline, servant hood, teachability, and vision--and then defines them in ways that readers can absorb and utilize. Each is covered in a separate chapter opening with a high-concept definition and continuing with relevant anecdotes, details on its meaning, suggestions for further reflection, and exercises for improvement. For example, in the section on vision ("You can seize only what you can see"), Maxwell describes how Walt Disney initially developed the theme-park concept after accompanying his daughters to a fun-filled but rather shabby amusement park. He then analyzes how Disney's resultant projects drew on his personal history while meeting other's needs, and explains how readers must "listen to several voices" to develop successful foresight in a similar way. Finally, Maxwell suggests methods to articulate these visions and measure their implementation.

I considered this book as one useful tool for me not only as a manager but as a person who wanted to improve myself.  Though this is not an overnight solution or tip but provides insights on how I can possibly develop characteristics and made me assess if I already have the traits of a true leader.  It provided tips on how to improve specific leadership traits and also provided literatures and examples that make the book more interesting to read.  What affected me most is the common sense approach to a subject that some of us really use in everyday life. I would like to say that my 8 years experience as a manager made me a seasoned pro, but this book opened my eyes to a foundation for what great leadership really is: Developing effective communication.  After reading this book, I decided to include discussion of each chapter to my sales team in our daily huddle meetings.

While reading the book, I come across two qualities that I can recommend; these are Focus and Initiative. Every day we see successful people on television or in the newspaper or we come into contact with them in our daily lives. It is easy to look at these people and imagine ourselves as being as successful as they are. Although some of these people may not have the best character, they might not be the best listeners, and they might not all be easy to get along with, one thing that truly successful people all seem to have is initiative and focus. This is because in order to accomplish anything in life, you must take the first step toward accomplishing it. The world is full of people who want to have success who have a clear vision of what that success is. However, most of them do not have the initiative to start on the road toward accomplishing that success. Once you start on that road, it is even more difficult to stay focused and follow it through to the end. The world is also filled with distractions and people vying for your time. This is why I found these two traits to be the most important ones Maxwell has presented."

A Woman dies of Cervical Cancer!

every 2 minutes in the Philippines

It was November 14- Saturday afternoon, my first day of class for my MBA course. I am supposed to be on time for the class at 2:00pm for my marketing management subject, this is just one of my ever favorite major subjects, unfortunately, because of some work related concern that I need to attend to, I arrived late at 2:30pm. Whew!

When I entered the room, everyone was smiling at me, they were already halfway to their “Introduce yourself” activity, and my professor abruptly said, “Are you part of this class?” “Yes” I replied immediately and proceeded to my chair. As I looked around, I felt glad I saw a lot of familiar faces, my goodness! Almost all of my classmates during the first semester were there and I was so excited to mingle with them again. Suddenly, my attention was freeze. That was the moment I looked straight to my professor. And questions running to my head, “why is she wearing a bandana over her head?”” Is she an activist or something?”” Or is this part of her fashion statement?”

And so I listened to her seriously, everything she imparted about the subject, relating them to her own professional experiences, seemed got into my nerve! I don’t understand why. She was just so articulate and knowledgeable with her chosen craft, added with very obvious strength which I couldn’t grasp at that time where it was coming from. She sounded like the woman I always dream of becoming. Few minutes before class ended, she begun sharing why she was covering her head. She had been undergoing chemotherapy as part of her medication for her “CERVICAL CANCER” condition. I was amazed with her total strength and faith while dealing with all the pain and struggles caused by her sickness. Couldn’t help but really think about it again and again, to the point that it pushed me to research more about the said sickness.

The risk of Cervical Cancer is greater than we thought. Worldwide, a woman dies of Cervical Cancer every 2 minutes in the Philippines; Cervical Cancer is the 2nd leading killer cancer for women. Cervical Cancer is a disease that affects the cervix in the female reproductive system. The cervix is the lower portion of the uterus that connects the upper vagina to the uterus. It is about two inches in length. During childbirth, the cervix dilates, allowing the baby to travel from the uterus to the vagina.

Cervical Cancer is caused by a common virus known as HPV or Human Papilloma Virus. HPV infection is easily transmitted;

Acquisition may be by skin-to-skin genital contact-- penetrative intercourse is not necessary to become infected.

Condom usage may not adequately protect individuals from exposure to HPV

It is estimated that 50-80 percent of women will acquire an HPV infection in their lifetime. Half of these women will be infected with cancer-causing HPV at some point, usually sooner after their first sexual intercourse.

What are the Symptoms of Cervical Cancer?

In the early stages of cervical cancer, there usually are no symptoms. Cervical cancer symptoms begin to appear as the disease advances, invading deeper into the cervix and surrounding tissue. As the disease progresses, women may experience:

abnormal vaginal bleeding, including post-coital bleeding

pain during sexual intercourse, however this can be common and unrelated to cervical cancer

pelvic pain

heavy vaginal discharge

What are the Risk Factors for Cervical Cancer?

One of the main risks for developing cervical cancer is being infected with the human papilloma virus (HPV). HPV is a common virus that is transmitted through sexual contact. Other cervical cancer risk factors include having sex at an early age, smoking cigarettes, having multiple sexual partners, and having a weakened immune system.

Keep in mind that risk factors only increase the likelihood of developing cervical cancer; they do not guarantee you will develop it.

How is Cervical Cancer Diagnosed?

The first step in diagnosing cervical cancer is through the Pap smear, a simple test that allows cervical cells to be examined under a microscope. If suspicious cells are found, then a colposcopy is performed. A colposcopy allows a doctor to view the cervix more closely. During the colpsocopy, a cervical biopsy may be done. If the biopsy finds cancerous cells, additional tests will be done to determine the stage of the disease.

How is Cervical Cancer Treated?

Cervical cancer is treated in several ways. The type of cervical cancer and the stage of the disease greatly affects what treatment methods are used.

Cervical cancer may be treated with surgery, such as a hysterectomy. Other forms forms of treatment include chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Treatment varies from patient to patient. One patient may only have surgery, while another may undergo several types of treatment. It all depends on the type and stage of cervical cancer.

After that first meeting with my professor, I went on vacation for 2 weeks, which means that I was not able to attend her class for 2 sessions. I was just getting updates from my MBA friends via online about their activities on class. I was even warned that I need to catch up fast when I get back because they have already reported and submitted 3 cases.

Just last Saturday, I was 30 minutes earlier than my class schedule with her; I was looking forward to see her new design of bandana or hat over her head. I read 3 cases to prepare my self with her questions. All I was thinking then was to see her again and be inspired! But then, a new male professor entered our room and told us about the sad news, He is now taking over our original professor because She is now on a very bad condition that the school believes she can no longer continue to teach us. That was sad! I wish I had more sessions with her; I was truly inspired by her strength, her faith and her positive outlook in life. Her condition pushed me to be more concern about my health.

A week later after I finish writing this blog, she finally returned in the loving hands of our almighty God. I attended once her wake and was amazed again with the flowers around coming from almost all prominent and powerful people in the city. Even there, you would feel her big contribution in the lives every davaoenous. “May You Rest in Piece Ma’am Omar! And thank you for the inspiration and for the life changing encounter!