ABSTRACT

Effective leadership traits are easy to describe but difficult to measure. This chapter explores the basic traits that enable leaders to build teams, motivate people, manage conflict, negotiate resources, and prioritize tasks. The Diamond Leadership model identifies the five basic facets of extraordinary leadership: (1) trust, (2) humility, (3) integrity, (4) empathy, and (5) confidence using a variety of scenarios to illustrate these intangible traits. Circumstances may occur that place unsuspecting people into leadership positions. Sample scenarios and reflective exercises discuss how some of these astonished folks take on a leadership mantle.