Today’s guest blogger is Ashley Moyer. Join us on this journey every week as guest bloggers share their thoughts on what they believe makes a Gr8 leader. 

Leaders can be great for many reasons. Resilience, strategic-thinking, selflessness—I could go on and on. However, one characteristic that stands out to me when thinking about leadership is determination.

I define determination as the ability or willingness to carry things out over time. Leaders invest themselves in other people or projects to make a positive difference. Determination also requires patience. Hard work pays off in the long run and isn’t an immediate reward.

One of the best examples of determination in my life is my mother. When declared cancer-free just a year after diagnosis she thought her battle was over. However, the extensive surgeries and treatment made her goal of a full recover much harder. Ten years and 10 surgeries later, my mom is still working to overcome the effects cancer had on her body. She continues to be patient and work hard and has become a great example of determination and leadership.

At times I personally find it difficult to stay patient and determined. I often am caught in focusing on the “now” rather than the “later”. Having strong examples of the leader I would like to be around me helps build me up and encourage me to continue working on my personal leadership skills.

I cannot help, but think of something the late Paul J. Meyer said about determination (my husband quotes him all the time!): “Develop a dogged determination to follow through on your plan, regardless of obstacles, criticism or circumstances or what other people say, think or do.”

A great leader has a “dogged determination” and never gives up.