To become a happy person, it is vital to find a way to lead. To lead well, one must guide others in virtuous ways toward good ends. To do this, three things are necessary.
1. Character
One must develop character to lead well. Good character requires becoming a virtuous person. Virtues include prudence, justice, bravery, and temperance. (These are primary virtues.) At the same time, you must learn to shun vices or evil thoughts, motives, behaviors, and habits.
Additional qualities are revealed in the Bible. These are known as theological virtues. The main ones are faith, hope, and love. Others include patience and self-control.
While it is not possible to be perfect, it is possible to develop better habits.
The good news of the Bible is that God is a storehouse of mercy and virtue (Psalm 103:1-5). Those who are connected to Him by faith in His one-of-a-kind Son, Jesus Christ, are given access to it (2 Samuel 7:15; Isaiah 55:3; Acts 13:34). This is a key teaching of historical Christianity.
2. Vision
One of the most effective ways to develop your leadership abilities is to learn from great leaders. One of the best ways to do this is to read biographies. Leaders have done this for a long time. Plutarch, a Roman historian and politician, wrote perhaps the most famous biographical series known by his name, Plutarch’s Lives. He compares notable Greek and Roman leaders, sharing about their character.
If you want to lead in business, ministry, science, as a missionary, law, or politics, it is helpful to read about others who have succeeded in those areas. This will widen your vision.
3. Responsibility
The best leaders take responsibility. They are not passive or prone to passivity or blaming others. They take the initiative. A wise man said, “Power flows to those who take responsibility.” The Bible is full of characters who took responsibility for the welfare of those around them. Much can be learned from them.
Charisma
There is a fourth aspect of leadership that matters greatly, especially if you want to become the best leader you can be. Most people get charisma wrong. They think of it as stage presence, or a cool factor, or always having the right thing to say. Charisma, rightly understood, means a gift of grace. It is God-given, but it can be developed and refined. The key is developing a genuine concern about the needs of others.
Leadership opportunities
While in high school, one should look for simple ways to lead. You need opportunities to practice. Here are some ideas:
- Counseling at a youth camp
- Helping kids develop skills at a scouting event or adventure camp
- Tutoring
- Coaching in a youth league
The more opportunities you take to lead, the better you will become at it.