Leading by example

What makes a good leader?

Books have been devoted to the topic of leadership. I certainly can’t do it justice in a blog post. But I can share what I’ve learned in my nearly forty-year career, having worked for both good and bad leaders.

First, I think a good leader is someone who really wants to lead others. Not every personality is suited to a leadership role. I recognized early on that I didn’t want to manage other people.

Good leaders guide, inspire, and encourage. They bring the best out of people.

A good leader is a person of good character. A good keader does’t just talk the talk; they walk the walk. They are honest, fair, and respectful of others and have self-control.

A good leader has the self-confidence to make decisions but also has the humility to ask for help and to admit mistakes.

A good leader is competent. No one wants to be led by a person who doesn’t understand the business.

Good leaders listen. They know when to seek advice and are open to ideas.

Good leaders entrust others with responsibility and enable them to act. They resist the urge to micromanage.

Good leaders are committed to excellence and to holding people accountable for their actions.

Good leadership is important in any organization. Poor leaders make bad decisions and lose good employees.

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