What is a bad leader but a good leader’s teacher. Lessons from the best leaders.
A woman I worked with many years ago related a story to me last month about the new CEO she works for at an Arizona-based company. He leads out of fear. His style is one of intimidation. Often, he will berate others in public and has humiliated both direct reports and associates at the company. She knows that he is the opposite of a great leader.
After putting up with this situation for several months, she walked out one day and left. She didn’t resign. Instead, Helen just exited and never came back to work.
She left a note on her desk. It said, “I refuse to be intimidated by the bully.”
How Do Companies Get Away with Putting Bullies in as CEO?
In my career, I have been fortunate to work for smart, disciplined leaders who were both demanding and empathetic. Sadly, I had to work for some bullies, too, who also taught me valuable lessons on how NOT to be a leader.
Great Leaders Lead
- They listen. In a room full of people, they wait until everyone has provided a viewpoint, and then, they make decisions.
- They lead. When situations are difficult, they exude confidence and a path forward, without belittling individuals.
- They challenge. A great leader asks questions that are sharp, pointed, and make you work harder to explains why you chose a path.
- They decide. When faced with several paths forward, they make a decision and give clear instructions on the next steps.
- They set an example. Talk is easy, but watch what a true leader does when times are difficult. Great leaders choose their words carefully, so no one feels mislead or lied to when things are hard.
- They are consistent. A consistent leader is one who sets a path forward and follows it through. They don’t jump all over the place with the mission.
- They focus. Powerful leaders keep a team hyper-focused on a few goals with clear metrics of success. They don’t keep piling on priorities, because they know that anything more than a few goals is all any organization can achieve.
- They own mistakes. Great leaders don’t run away from mistakes. They accept responsibility and look to make it a learning opportunity for all.
- They are patient. The best leaders I have worked for show patience for progress, recognizing realistic and achievable milestones.
- They care. Leaders are strong, disciplined, and compassionate at the same time. They realize that to achieve their goal, they need the will of the team to be aligned. Compassion and caring are tools in their toolbox. They aren’t afraid of being vulnerable. In fact, it helps them demonstrate their humanity.
The worst leaders do the opposite.
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