I recently wrote a piece on the art of diversion using bait-and-switch as it applies to politics.  If you are interested, you can read that here: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=766685606822170&id=650074151816650

Politics is front-and-center this week, and as such, so is leadership.  Of course leadership is not limited to politicians per se, but is applicable to business owners, managers, heads of corporations, clergy, or even de facto appointment as head of your neighborhood. There are many kinds of leadership.  The best of us are able to bring out the best in others.  The worst of us are incapable of considering anything or anyone past themselves.

I’ll not comment on today’s political events.  Rather, I’ll share with you what I’ve learned over the years, mostly by making a fair few mistakes in this arena:

  1. A true leader assembles a good team by naturally drawing the right people to them.  In my experience, leaders shine a bright enough light on an energetic level that people are naturally drawn to them.  That doesn’t mean they don’t also draw flies, because they do.  But a true leader is discerning enough to know the difference.
  2. A true leader puts her or his people first and exercises substantial empathy toward them.  Remembering that at some point, unless you were a trust fund baby, you probably faced some very real perils in your life, act to assist those who work for you tirelessly and are endlessly devoted to you.
  3. A true leader will compensate them commensurate with their worth.  Not what you can get away with paying them because of their gender or color or because of minimum wage laws, but what they demonstrably contribute to the organization.
  4. A true leader will avoid calling employees on the carpet in front of others.  They will avoid name-calling.  They will avoid devolving into a screaming match.  It makes everyone uncomfortable and is an obvious move by an insecure individual to dominate when they know they don’t have a leg to stand on.  That is a transparent ploy.  Don’t use it.  It makes you look weak.
  5. A true leader encourages comradery, not competition.  Do customers (or constituents as the case may be) come first always?  Absolutely.  But when employees make their own fun whilst working on menial tasks that just need doing, encourage that.  If they create those bonds with each other, that is another barrier you have from losing them and all the time and money you spent training them, not to mention their valuable knowledge.
  6. A true leader is honest.  Own your mistakes.  If you correct an employee and you are later proven to be wrong, accept responsibility and apologize if you held their feet to the fire inappropriately.
  7. A true leader rises above the fray.  They operate on facts.  They listen before speaking.  They operate with a higher standard of behavior, knowledge, and wisdom.
  8. True leaders don’t throw those who answer to them under the bus.
  9. True leaders expect that if they violate anything in this list they will lose valuable members of their staff who helped them achieve what they have achieved.  They also know that violation of any of these rules and then some will come back to bite them in the ass.