I recently was going through some of my books and came across one written by John C. Maxwell, an expert on leadership. The book is titled “The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader.”

A quote in the chapter on generosity caught my eye. It says: “Your candle does not lose its light when it lights another candle.” I really like that quote! 

As we look around, some of the wealthiest people in the world are usually generous givers. And, as Maxwell points out, generosity is a key attribute of a good leader. 

Also among the qualities he lists, Maxwell writes that we should consider money as a resource. There are lots of trains of thought on money: If you don’t make any, you’re considered a loser. If you make a lot and spend it, you’re considered a spendthrift. If you don’t care about making any, you’re considered unambitious. And if you die with a lot of money, we all know you can’t take it with you! 

No need to worry about all that. Maxwell says, simply, be generous and accomplish things of value. 

We need to develop a habit of giving. In his essay “The “Gospel of Wealth,” Andrew Carnegie wrote the life of a wealthy person should have two periods: a time of acquiring wealth and one of redistributing it. 

Another leadership point to consider is to develop a winning attitude. Maxwell says if you won’t carry the ball, you cannot be a good leader.  

One of college football’s great coaches was Grant Teaff from Baylor University. In his book “Winning – It’s How You Play the Game,” Teaff points out that we become what we think about. 

“You must start looking, acting and thinking like a winner” he says. You must believe in yourself. 

Additionally, the late psychologist William James wrote that the greatest discovery of his generation is that humans can alter their lives by altering their attitude of mind. Think like a winner! 

Finally, a good attribute of a great leader is servanthood. A good leader serves people. That person is not looking for glory but is willing to listen to people. Stephen R. Covey said the biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand – rather, we listen to reply! 

As you go about your daily business, think about these three points, among others. 

• Be generous.
• Believe in yourself
• Most of all, be a good listener. 

These will help you “make your mark.”