An Homage to a Great Leader: 5 Things I Learned About Good Leadership
Photo by Jehyun Sung on Unsplash
One of the things that I treasure the most in my career is that I've been exposed to excellent leaders. I've had the opportunity to connect, break bread, ask questions, brainstorm, and debate with amazing individuals from all over the world. I've spoken with individuals that started million-dollar companies, grew family businesses, farmed for people in other countries that they would never meet, became young entrepreneurs, were savvy traders, spoke four languages or more, built their houses by hand, etc. . . you get the idea. I've met difference-makers! I always find these people inspiring - partly because of their success and determination, but mostly because they have a vision. They see a future that does not exist today, and with every part of their being, they seek to make that future a reality.
Recently, one of those amazing leaders that I knew decided to retire. This individual meant a lot to me, and it got me thinking about the qualities that I look for and admire in leaders that I've seen over the years. With that in mind, I created a shortlist of five characteristics that great leaders exhibit. I wanted to share them with you and would love to hear from you on your experiences.
1 - They are inspirational
I mentioned before that many of the people that I look up to when it comes to leadership, have some quality that I find inspiring:
It could be that they have the ability to bring any team together.
Maybe it's that whenever they speak, I see so clearly the picture of the future that they are painting
Possibly it could be that they could be speaking to hundreds or thousands of people, but I feel like they are talking to me
It could be that they see something in me that makes me want to be more and do more
Or they are just dynamic, charismatic, determined, brilliant, and <insert adjective here> that others just don't have.
They have "it" and "it" brings out the best in those around them.
2 - They take chances
The great ones and I mean the truly great ones, take chances on people. They bet heavily and often on us. Whenever I see someone retire that has been at a business for many years, I'm always taken aback by the number of lives they've impacted. You know these people. At their retirement party, everyone is there. There is story after story about what this individual meant to each person. Frequently, the person mentored and coached people that no one knew they were coaching. When you start to put the puzzle pieces of their stories together, you realize that they are something of a modern-day humanitarian. Clearly, some part of their mission in life is to raise up others and leave them better than they found them. When I hear the stories, I often get goosebumps because of their commitment to others. Most of them never brag about it either. It isn't until the end, where people truly see their full impact.
3 - They challenge you
I wrote before that they see something in you that you may not see in yourself. What I didn't say is that because of what they know, they push you - hard! I've been coaching basketball for seventeen years now, and it's a phenomenon that I've seen in this sport many times, but I believe it applies to most sports and in many situations in life. It's simply that a difficult or challenging situation is the one that causes growth in each person. In my seventeen years, I've never seen a basketball player come up to a coach and say, "Thanks for taking it easy on me all those years ago, it helped me become a better player or better person!" Said no one ever! No, what they do often say is, "Coach, thanks for pushing me to be better, it made a difference in my sport and/or career." I've seen that situation over and over in players saying this to their former coaches. It was the manager at work who asked me to take on three projects when others only had one. It was the university professor that told me it would be hard, but they thought I could double major. It was the parent that didn't accept a poor grade when they knew we were capable of much more. These people push us to accomplish extraordinary tasks that cause us to grow in extraordinary ways.
4 - They adapt
In sports, when you see the winning organizations that have accomplished greatness over many years, it's easy to think that they've done it the same way each year, and that's why they are great. However, when you take a look at the manager, coach, leader of that organization more closely, you'll realize that they've had to adapt their style - sometimes in small and almost invisible ways and at other times in significantly different ways. I read a book a couple of months ago, The Hard Things About Hard Things by Ben Horowitz. In it, he references what he calls "Peacetime CEO" and "Wartime CEO." He lists many differences between them, but the thing that struck me the most about the differences was that when I began to list the leaders that fell under each category, very rarely did I come across a leader that met both. Many of the leaders that we laud in life are the ones that went "to battle" and came out victorious. They were great decision-makers. They "led the troops", and everyone knew what to do. Yet, when there is no war to fight, they are usually lost or looking to start a fight. "Peacetime CEOs" can recite the chapter with the principle that explains the process that needs to be used in a particular situation. But, when the company or business is under attack, they are at a loss, because there is no page in a business book that outlines what to do in every situation. The really good leaders know when to lead in battle, when to let others lead, when to go "by the book" and when to "go off-script." They have an ability to be who they need to be, when they need to be, and for whom they need to be it for.
5 - They care
This one is the easiest to explain, but it's the hardest to fake. Great leaders know more about you than the job you do. They remember your family, your aspirations, your goals, your losses, your wins, your heartbreaks, and your joys. It almost sounds like I'm calling them a psychiatrist! Maybe, but what I'm really trying to say is that "they see you" in a way that you know you've been seen, heard, and understood. They "get you," and you get them. They are sincere, genuine, authentic, and trustworthy. You know that they believe in you because they've told you so - moreover, they've shown you!
That's it! That's my list. These are the characteristics that I've seen over the years in some of the people I appreciate the most. They are:
inspirational
caring
challenging
adaptable
chances takers (on people)
By the way, I love this picture in the title for many reasons, but one of the main reasons is that when you look at it, at first glance, it's easy to assume the leader is in the front; when in reality, there's a good chance, it's the person in the back.
Coach Ha-Keem
