Leadership is a choice and it is rewarding if chosen for the right reasons. A leader seeking glory, fulfillment of self-interests, or a way to get others to do the things their way is short sighted and will not succeed.

A Leadership Checklist

Whether you are a first time leader or one accepting the mantle again, there is a tendency to want "do it right." Yet despite what thousands of books on leadership suggest, you cannot checklist your way to leadership. Studies have gleaned qualities and competencies common to impactful leaders but that’s where the similarities end.

How the qualities and competencies are applied in day-to-day situations individual and unique. There isn't a prescribed right way to do leadership but there are principles successful leaders espouse. And here's the thing, the ways leaders apply these principles are as varied as the numbers of leaders themselves. People are unique. Leadership experiences are too.

Grow up and Lead

Leadership is not easy. In order to inspire others, leaders need to be inspired themselves. Leaders bring out the others but first you have to acknowledge the best in yourself. The challenges a leader faces are endless: unmotivated workers, disconnected systems, unsupportive management and unyielding family members.

For leaders to effectively lead, only one thing remains.

The Heart and Wisdom of a Leader

The line from the song by REO Speedwagon comes to mind when I think of leaders who want to throw in the towel, “I just can’t fight the feeling anymore, I forgot what I was fighting for.” They’ve forgotten why they’ve chosen to lead or they’ve lost themselves in the process. It’s up to us to help them remember.

What is your reason for leading, today and in the future?

===> If you liked this proposal, click through to ChangeThis and select "Yes, please write this manifesto." Top voted proposals on Jan 4 will be selected to write and publish a full manifesto.

What does leadership mean to you? If it means being brave, being bold and leading through roadblocks destined to derail, we are thinking the same.

There is too much at stake for leaders to be derailed by the challenges they face. Yet, many are. They look for easy answers that are not to be found. Or, they look for excuses. The one place they don't look is to themselves. Sadly, leaders may forget why they've chosen to lead or they lose themselves in the process. It's time for a change.

I submitted a proposal for a leadership manifesto to ChangeThis. The proposal was accepted and now the fun begins. I am stacked up against nine other proposals and those with the most votes on January 4, 2013 will be selected to become a manifesto.

I want this. My ideas are right on (although my 1980s band reference in my proposal is off.) The "almost lead" I had a few days ago is lost . . . would you help me grab it back? You can read my proposal and cast your vote with one click by clicking and following this link: