Empathy
In an article, DeLores Pressley defines empathy as "the ability to experience and relate to the thoughts, emotions or experience of others".(Pressley, 2012) Empathy surpasses the simple requirements of sympathy. It warrants an individual to experience the suffering of another so that they may understand. Every leader, in order to be successful, should be able to empathize with the individuals they are leading. If a leader cannot experience the frustrations of followers, how will they understand where the next step should be and what needs to be done? They simply cannot. Imagine if a former basketball player tried to coach a cheerleading team, no one will be successful because the leader cannot see the problems, nor can they understand how to fix them. In leadership, understanding all aspects to your best capability is vital in overcoming obstacles, creating goals, and reaching them with a team.
Persevere
As a student athlete, the ability to persevere has become a quality that I consider necessary to having not only a successful team, but a goal accomplished. Many times, we get dissatisfied and lose hope. As a cheerleader and captain, I learned very quickly that even when there is doubt, it is important to persevere. If we give up on pushing ourselves when it is hard or uncomfortable, we will never change. You can never have change and comfort simultaneously, therefore it is pertinent that you keep going. Even when it seems like there is no chance at recovery and failure is the only possible outcome, you must push yourself and everyone around you. Using this mentality, I have found many wins, whether it was in my personal life, athletic endeavors or academic achievements. I know that there is no perfect scenario of leadership and that you must use whatever situation you are in as a driving force to your goals.
Relatable
One thing I will never quite grasp is the idea that leader should always be on a pedestal and never be willing to strip themselves of pride and be a part of their group of followers. What most people tend to forget is that there are steps that you must take to get to the top and the only way to go up stairs is to start at the bottom. There is no consistently successful leader that refuses to acknowledge the steps they took to get to their place. Every respectable leader has shown why they are qualified for the position. Studies show that the buy-in to the vision is the deciding factor on whether a plan is successful. As a leader, I have learned that while it is important to establish authority, it it equally important to earn it.