Do you want to be a leader? It doesn't take an MBA or years and years of experience. It takes some basic skills as Promotional Consultant Today shares from Jeffrey Gitomer, author of Little Book of Leadership.

1. Maintain a positive attitude. Solution oriented. Action oriented. People oriented. Enthusiasm begets success.

2. Embrace change. Change is certain. Followers tend to resist change. It is the mark of a leader to embrace change and take advantage of the opportunity it presents.

3. Deploy courage. General Douglas MacArthur said, "Courage is just fear that holds out a little longer." Good advice. General George Patton said, "I don't take counsel from my fears." Good advice. Leaders choose courage.

4. Take a risk. The biggest risk is to never take one. Leaders are determined to win or try again.

5. Listen. Leaders listen to learn. Your prospects know their needs and they know what's happening on the front lines of their business. Just listen.

6. Communicate. Leaders set the example for open communication. They use their heads. They say what they feel. They speak from their heart.

7. Delegate and empower. Leaders share responsibility. They don't dictate, they set examples for others to follow. Leaders encourage growth in others by challenging them to take new responsibility, encouraging them to succeed, and supporting them if they fail. Leaders understand that mistakes are lessons on the way to success.

8. Understand others, yourself and your situation. Leaders understand the importance of an open, inquisitive mind. A constant quest for knowledge brings greater understanding.

8.5 Commitment. Commitment is the catalyst that makes all the other leadership qualities a reality. Daily rededication to commitment is the difference between leaders and would-be leaders.

Learn to be a leader by starting small. Lead a group or committee. Do whatever is necessary to make it a winner. Do it again and again, until it begins to feel natural. Respect the power of leadership, and the power of the people you seek to lead.

Source: Jeffrey Gitomer is the author of The New York Times best sellers The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, The Little Black Book of Connections and The Little Gold Book of YES! Attitude. All of his books have been No. 1 best sellers on Amazon.com and many have appeared on best-seller lists more than 850 times, selling millions of copies worldwide.