* 13 Rules of Leadership


Irina’s Interpretation of 5 Rules


Rule 4: It can be done.

“You can do anything you want if you try.” My first grade teacher repeated these words over and over for an entire school year. However, she repeated those words for a reason. Any time a child would say they couldn’t do something, she quickly corrected them by saying “you can do anything you want if you try.”
The point my teacher was trying to make is that if you put your mind to doing something, you will accomplish it. If you have the confidence, determination, and hard work there is nothing that can keep you from achieving your goals. Think about it. If you really wanted to make all A’s in school, for example, it could be done. You might have to stay home and study rather than going to party. Or you might need to be tutored. Whatever it might be, if you put in the extra effort, it can be done. Leaders make plenty of sacrifices in order to reach their goals.


Rule 10: Remain calm. Be kind.

Leaders need to know how to remain calm. When you’re a leader people look up to you. It is important that people can follow the lead of someone who is calm and under control. Everything is not going to go as planned. At times there will be obstacles for you to overcome. As a leader, you must be able to think quickly and find a solution to your problem. As for being kind, it is always important to be respectful of others, especially when working with a team. Your actions can ultimately impact your team members and the organization. For instance, if your not welcoming to those students who come and visit student life or the HLD office, it could give our organization a bad image.


Rule 11: Have a vision. Be demanding.

It is hard to accomplish something without a vision. Leaders are continuously working towards a vision. Your goals are the steps you take in order to achieve your vision. Without a vision, you will never be working towards anything. A trend I continue to see among successful people is that they have a VISION and they are constantly working towards it. We all use maps or GPS to get to places we need to go, especially if we’ve never been there before. In life our goals is like the map and our vision is the final destination.


Rule 12: Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” – FDR

Be confident in yourself and don’t worry about what others have to say. There is always someone who will try and bring you down. Be true to yourself and make your own decisions. Avoid saying … I should have… I could have…. I would have…
If you listen to someone else and don’t do something you might regret it later.


Rule 13: Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.

Always be optimistic, because optimism is contagious. As a leader many people are looking to follow you. If you are always thinking positively, it will translate to your followers. For example, if you are always being optimistic about the outcome of your programs, more people are going to be willing to invest their time in an HLD program.