I've heard it said that average American changes careers at least once in his or her life. Long gone are days of working for same company from time you graduate high school or college until that magical retirement day.

You sure won't find that kind of loyalty from companies to their workers these days, and it's rare to find that kind of loyalty from average worker as well. What with companies merging, downsizing, and moving their operations offshore, you'd be wise to plan for a career change somewhere along line in your life.

Of course, losing one job doesn't automatically mean that you can never find another job in same industry or career path. Hopefully, you will. But what if you can't find another job? Or what if you don't really want to? Maybe you're bored with what you've been doing, or you've gone as far as you can in that career and you're ready for new challenges?

Is it really possible to switch to a new career midstream in your working life?

The answer is a resounding yes! But you have to know how to go about it. It takes a bit of planning, thorough self- assessment, and perhaps additional training.

When I tired of grind in health administration as a nurse, I spent about 2 years trying to figure out what else I could do. Luckily, I was able to parlay a love and talent for writing into a new career as a health writer. I did have to prove my ability to write--even though much of my job responsibility in my previous healthcare administration job did involve writing. I was fortunate enough to be able to use networking and some lucky breaks to get into career I wanted with a minimum of effort.

At one point or another, we have all been either a leader or a follower. While both roles are equally important, a leader plays an instrumental role in providing direction for his/her followers. A good way to identify an effective leader is to see if his/her followers are able to support and accomplish what their leader is asking of their team.

In order to be a great leader, one must possess various qualities that will attract followers. The following qualities are just of few of many qualities that are vital for effective leadership.

Charisma

A notable charismatic leader was Martin Luther King, Jr. Decades after his death, King is still honored today for his passionate movement towards equality. His most famous speech, “I have a dream,” still impacts a current generation as his powerful words grace majority of history textbooks all over America. His speech radiates personality because of his expressive words in his fight against inequality. Like King’s speech, charismatic leaders have gift to touch people through their choice of words. Charismatic leaders are alluring, charming and can encourage followers to support a grand vision or idea.

Positive Attitude

A leader who possesses a positive attitude will influence his/her followers to carry that same attitude. An example of a positive leader could be a parent or teacher. Mothers, fathers, or elementary teachers appear and are viewed as role models to young children they are teaching and nurturing. These role models are first leaders they encounter in life. Children become very dependent of leaders because they are their vehicles to outside world and provide much needed help and assistance. If a parent is nurturing and loving to their child, they will thrive under this encouragement. If a school teacher provides a positive learning experience to child, they will succeed and that success will become contagious. In any circumstance, a leader’s positive attitude will have greater impact and influence on their followers.

Motivation