One of the often touted phrases in  the business world is that "you manage systems and lead people". I agree, most of us do not like to be managed or "handled", we prefer to decide for ourselves what we are "getting into". That is where leadership excels. A leader is supposed to have the best interest of those he/she leads. Great leaders do! And, it cannot be just lip service!

A leader also leads by example, doing as well as telling. In some  businesses, lack of understanding of this distinction has placed managers in roles which require leadership and this has resulted in chaos and low morality in the work environment. Simply because someone is an effective or even excellent department manager, does not make them a leader.

Here are some traits of what makes a leader worth following:

Self-awareness, know yourself, to know others.

Decision making. A leader must make and stick with decisions and accept the consequences.

He/She must manage feelings, especially negative ones.

Must find effective ways to handle stress  

Leaders should have empathy for the team, make the effort to understand and appreciate the feelings, concerns and perspectives of the group.

Some say that a person is either born a leader or not. I do not agree! None of those traits listed above are impossible to acquire, it just takes the desire and wherewithal to do so.

Nowhere is the leadership personality more needed than online. The MLM industry is crowded with sales and marketing experts and gurus. It is time for more leaders to step up and create a new era in MLM, where every wins!