An article published by Northeastern University, The 5 Qualities All Successful Leaders Have in Common, by Brian Eastwood, explores the traits, qualities, and attitudes all successful leaders possess. Eastwood suggests that leadership is a skill that an individual is not necessarily born with but can develop.

He further says that “Successful leaders demonstrate the following five leadership qualities in their personal and professional lives, inspiring others to take action and set a course for future success. True leaders also practice key behaviors on a regular basis in order to strengthen the positive impact of these qualities.”

We took these five qualities and asked prominent Masons to weigh in on the connections that can be made with our Masonic lodges.

1. They are self-aware and prioritize personal development.

This should be the standard in Masonry because a careful reading of our rituals tells us that self-awareness and personal development are indispensable elements of our tradition. The explanations of the very first working tools we receive make that quite clear, and every tool, emblem, and symbolic element of the Craft reaffirms it and admonishes us to go ever deeper. This is the Masonic path to fulfilling our greatest individual and collective potentials for Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth; and Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty.

— C.R. “Chuck” Dunning, author of Contemplative Masonry and The Contemplative Lodge.

2. They focus on developing others.

Freemasonry “...makes good men better.” Taking good men from our communities and allowing them a chance to make additional and significant impacts through a larger reach (the Masonic Lodge). Exposing them to the ritual, however, not only binds them to each and every member who’s come before, but also serves to awaken their mind and spirit. Like a photograph laying in a bath of developer… so too is a man in the midst of his Masonic Degrees. A Master Mason is fashioned from the perspectives, exposures, and traditions that only a Masonic Lodge can offer. This development of man into Mason is important because it strengthens the Craft as a whole, their lodge, and perhaps most importantly, it creates beacons within the world for the profane to look to and to emulate in their lives and actions—to rise to something greater—to advance humanity.

— Robert Johnson, creator and host of the Whence Came You? Podcast, coauthor of It’s Business Time: Adapting a Corporate Approach to Freemasonry.

3. They encourage strategic thinking, innovation, and action.

For centuries, Freemasonry has endured because of the core principle to evolve with the needs of any given generation. When we explore areas of decline, like now, we find failure to innovate and change at the needed pace is one of the prime issues. As leaders and stewards of our generation’s Freemasonry, we are obligated to encourage innovation and strategic thinking in the next generation of Freemasonry, regardless of our personal opinions.

— Bryan Simmons, Right Worshipful and District Deputy Grand Master, Massachusetts 19 East District, and originator of the Masonic Con education conferences.

4. They are ethical and civic-minded.

I think it is critical for our Masonic leadership to be ethical. Just as our children learn more from our example than anything we could ever tell them, if our leaders take shortcuts or exhibit unethical behavior, they in effect give permission for others to act in like manner.

I also think it is important for our Masonic leaders to be civic-minded in order to help to repair our world. Masonry was created, in my opinion, to help create a more civil and compassionate society. If we keep the light of our Masonic values and teachings under a bushel inside the four walls of our lodges, we are cheating society of these important lessons it so desperately needs.

— Russ Charvonia, California Past Grand Master, 2015, and author of Masonry and Civility.

5. They practice effective cross-cultural communication.

Cross-cultural communication has occurred throughout history and, where it has occurred, cultures have been able to develop and flourish, benefiting from both trade and the introduction of new ideas. Over the last few centuries, Freemasonry has been part of that communication and its ritual and philosophy have enabled the West to connect deeply with men of faith across the globe.

It is well-known that many of our founding fathers were Freemasons, as was Winston Churchill. But so, too, was the Indian monk, philosopher, and author Swami Vivekenanda (1863-1902); the respected Algerian military leader and Islamic scholar Abdelkader ibn Muhieddine (1808-1883); and the Egyptian Islamic scholar Muḥammad ‘Abduh (1845-1905). Still today, cross-cultural communication can: (1) help us to understand the perspectives of others, (2) serve as an early warning system (helping us to understand emerging problems), and (3) help us to reinvigorate our own culture, as well as others, by introducing all of us to new possibilities in a fast-changing world and challenging times.

— Angel Millar, Editor in Chief of the Fraternal Review, and author of The Path of the Warrior Mystic.