During my leadership journey, I’ve observed many exemplary leaders in academe, business, government, and nonprofit organizations. Based on those observations, I concluded that exemplary leaders:
- make as few decisions as possible.
- delay making decisions until necessary to do so.
- do not have all the answers, but ask lots of questions.
- seek feedback.
- don’t judge books by their covers.
- make mistakes but quickly remedy them.
- do not engage in cover up when they err.
- are great followers.
- come in all shapes, sizes, ages, faiths, races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, job titles, and personalities.
- can’t take a day off.
- are great listeners.
- think before they act.
- choose their words carefully.
- don’t delegate delivering bad news.
- are avid readers.
- process and synthesize information from numerous sources.
- have integrity and zero tolerance for a lack of integrity.
- are persistent.
- are passionate.
- are gritty.
- are humble.
- are impatient but try to be patient.
- are smart.
- possess high emotional intelligence.
- endure significant stress.
- have high energy levels.
- strive for balance in family and career.
- value diversity and have diverse teams.
- need allies and confidants.
- have edge.
- have staying power.
- “Know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em”.
- are imperfect, flawed individuals.
- seek not the perks and prestige of the position, but the opportunity to achieve great things through others.
- care less about how great they are as leaders.
- care more about how great their team is.
- serve the people they lead, and
- practice deception.
As a leader, you must appear confident even when you aren’t. You can’t wear your feelings on your sleeve. Appearances matter!
Next: Let Me Tell You a Story—Part I
