Are There Any Real Leaders Left?

When I was a boy, I wanted to be an American. It wasn’t the Cowboys or Hollywood that appealed to me. It was something more, something deeper.

In America, I saw a country where it was truly possible to become more than the stature of your birthplace. I saw America as a country that grew great leaders. 

Today, as a man in his 50s, having traveled to many places around the world, I have seen many political leaders from many different nations say one thing and do another. My belief in the inherent beauty in people has grown and sadly, at the same time, so has my cynical view about the words of politicians.

?”Every leader, every genius, every star must face the pull toward mediocrity.

The pull that will keep you from your own brilliance is the need to be accepted.

Remember no greatness was ever achieved without opposition”. –D?v Baron

Back on January 20th, 2009, hopeful tears rolled down both my British and my wife’s Fijian cheeks like streams that suddenly appear across a dried up desert after an unexpected rainfall.

I know our tears were merely drops in the ocean of the collective joyous tears being shed not just in the US, but around the world.

On that day, as I watched the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of USA, I sawthe shoots of faith burst through in what has been a desert of leadership desperation. Barack Obama had inspired a stream that had awakened a spirit of greatness that had lain dormant for far too long.

Barack Obama did not claim to be a wizard who could wave a magic wand and fix everything. In his Inaugural speech, he made it clear that for dreams to come true work is needed and that part of that work is about being inclusive rather than exclusive.

This man, the new president of the U. S of A was all about Change. Eloquent and articulate, Barack Obama was, for so many, the manifestation of Martin Luther King Jr.‘s civil rights dream.America may have been, and may still be, if only by a thread, the leader of the free world. However, to be a nation that leads the free world, that nation must have a “True Leader” at the helm. A leader who has integrity, someone who says what they will do, and does what they say. Sadly, it seems to me that there are fewer and fewer True Leaders in the world today. 

And so I ask: Where are the contemporary Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Indira Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, JFK? 

Where are men and women who are willing to do the work that is necessary to change the world?  Are there no REAL leaders left?

Just to be clear: I’m not attacking Barak Obama; remember I was delighted at his having been elected as President. I’m simply asking–Are There No REAL Leaders left?

So what are the qualities of a Real Leader providing Authentic Leadership?

For years I traveled and studied with great masters and along the way, I became fascinated with leaders.Not just any leader, but great leaders men and women who walked their talk, who stood in the face of rejection and were unwavering in their convictions.  Some of these leaders were people I personally didn’t like or agree with, but they had certain qualities in common and I decided to make a study of those qualities. In fact, it is upon, the framework of that research that I developed what I call my Core Affluence System for leadership development.

To start off, the term “affluence” is most often assigned as being directly and even exclusively related to money, and that is not the case. The root meaning of the word affluence is flow. So if a person is affluent, they are in the flow. The Core of  Core Affluence System is a multi-layered acronym. However, I’d like to share with you the first layer of the Core Affluence System 

C: Clarity.

A great leader must have a  clarity of purpose. Great leaders know specifically  what they want and why they want it!

O: Ownership.

A great leader takes  complete ownership of that purpose. They have a  burning desire,  a sense of mission about their purpose!

R: Resilience.

A great leader  stays the course, does not lose focus just because of opposition.

E: Expansiveness.

A great leader has a laser beam level of clarity about the desired outcome, however, they  are also expansive in their thinking about how that outcome will come to fruition.

Every great leader I have researched and studied operated from a place of Core Affluence !

In the interest of transparency and at the risk of upsetting some folks, from my position it seems most contemporary leaders, even those in personal development, have become pretty wishy-washy, passive and placating. What they say and what they do seems designed to validate denial and make people feel good for a short time. (And my comments aren’t meant to be taken personally. Some great folks are aspiring to be leaders, but that’s not the same as being a REAL LEADER in the world today)

Much has dramatically changed since I began my path several decades ago. However, I’m left wondering if you still yearn for leaders and teachings delivered by higher caliber leaders who stand in integrity and are willing to call you to stand with them in yours?

I trust that you found this article valuable, if so, feel free to send this to your friends. I eagerly anticipate your feedback and comments.

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I created the Authentic Leadership Matrix after a lot of experience and research. One of the questions I'm asked often is what authentic leadership is and how do we define it. As a result, I created the matrix. It splits what leadership is into five separate categories. So, that you can take a clear look at how you perform in each of the five main areas that are required for you to become a world class authentic leader. The process takes you through each category simply with yes or no questions.https://matrix.fullmontyleadership.com/

With gratitude, D?v Baron

I also write for Entrepreneur.com:

• Is There Life After Success(ion)?
• Why 47 Percent of Your Best People Are Ready to Leave -- and What You Can Do About It
• The 11 Questions Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Ask Themselves
• Why Being a Self-Aware Leader Is Not Enough
• Unlocking 'the 4 Cs' to Create a Fiercely Loyal Corporate Culture 

“In 2015, Dov Baron was cited by Inc Magazine as one of the Top 100 Leadership Speaker to book for your next conference! He speaks internationally and is The Leading Authority on Next-Gen Authentic Leadership and creating a Culture of Fiercely Loyal Leaders. FullMontyLeadership.com

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P.S. To get your hands on Dov Baron’s new book “Fiercely Loyal” How High Performing Companies Develop and Retain Top Talent, go take a look here https://fiercelyloyalbook.com and get your FREE: How to instantly bond any team infographic”

To contact: Dov Baron International, and Authentic Paragon Alliance INC. Contact Authentic Paragon Alliance at +1 778 397 7717 https://FullMontyLeadership.com