What makes a leader? Published April 16, 2009 By Master Sgt. Jeff Rosinski Senior NCO annual award winner F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- What comes to mind when you hear the words lead or leader? Well, lead means to act as a guide, and leader means a person who leads, directs, commands or guides a group or activity. The current Air Force professional development guide says leadership is the art of influencing and directing people to accomplish the mission. It also reads that leading is a delicate art calling for people-oriented attributes many find elusive or difficult to develop; however, with determination and practical experience, people can acquire leadership attributes. So, what makes a good leader? In my career, the ones who I considered to be good or even great leaders were the ones who inspired or motivated me to get the job done to the best of my ability - to give 100 percent no matter what the job happened to be. Not just because it had to get done, but because it is the right thing to do. When comparing these exceptional leaders, they all had a few traits in common. One of the most important traits was that they would lead by example. Leading the way from the front in every aspect is the most important and valuable trait a good leader could possess. Another thing that stood out in these leaders was that they were genuinely concerned about me and where my career was going. Leaders are always ready to step up and accept responsibility when things don't go according to the plan. Leaders need to be ready to offer praise for a job well done and encouragement when and where improvement is needed. Leaders listen to their people and are ready to try new ideas to get the job done better, faster and smarter. It is the responsibility of every leader to inform senior leadership of proven ideas that can benefit our mission. Being a leader is not always easy, and sometimes it's downright hard. Good leaders need to always be poised to hold themselves and their people accountable for their actions. Leaders never put off hard decisions because they are not willing to make them today; it will not be any easier tomorrow. Leaders have to stand ready to make those tough and sometimes unpopular decisions that have to be made for the better of the mission. Everyone makes mistakes, even great leaders, but the difference is leaders will ask the difficult questions to find out how the mistake happened. After recognizing what went wrong, leaders rectify the situation by correcting the appropriate problem and not just the symptoms. Not everyone will become a leader in today's Air Force, but we should all try following these tips to become the best we can possibly be. We must always remember our people are our most precious resource and as leader, it is our responsibility to take care of them. If we all make this a priority in our workplaces and in our professional relationships, the Air Force will continue to be the great force it is today.