What makes a good leader?

What makes a good leader?

It is a question that our species has grappled with for millennia.

For some, it is the ability to inspire others through your actions, to lead others by your example, or to demonstrate what is possible.

For others, like a cake recipe, it is the balanced combination of dry ingredients: integrity, patience and responsibility, whisked into a batter of compassion, selfless vision and encouragement.

Perhaps, as Jim Rohn put it, “it is the challenge to be strong, but not rude; to be kind, but not weak; to be bold, but not bully; to be thoughtful, but not lazy; to be humble, but not timid; to be proud, but not arrogant; to have humour, but without folly.”

A good leader, however, does not have to be any of these things. A good leader, after all, does not have to be a role model.

You see, the difference between a leader and a role model is one of distance. A role model inspires others from afar, letting their successes and achievements dangle and glitter in the distance, shining down from some elusive height. A leader, however, lays their qualities on the ground, for all to see, learn from and trample upon.

When circumstances call, a leader bends over backwards to create bridges for others, to create opportunities at the expense of their own.

A leader is empathetic; they genuinely care about the thoughts and feelings of others. When they desire to understand someone, they physically "crawl into their skin and walk around in it."

A good leader starts a race from behind, urging the stragglers to push themselves harder and further and to grow in their tenacity and resolve.

But most of all, a good leader is intensely interested in the day-to-day struggles of those around them, in their hardships, challenges and triumphs.

Good leaders make you feel safe to speak up in difficult situations, to challenge their decisions and even to attack their character.

A good leader welcomes challenges, criticism and opposing viewpoints because they know that an environment where people are afraid to speak up, offer insights, and ask good questions is destined for failure.

A good leader does not utilize their authority to dictate to others how they must act. Rather, they explain the thought processes behind their decisions to anyone who may ask.

While confident, a good leader is still humble. They don’t allow their accomplishments and position of authority to make them feel that they are better than anyone else.

As such, a good leader does not hesitate to jump in and do the dirty work when needed, and they don’t ask those they lead to do anything they are not willing to do themselves.

A good leader invests in relationships with each and every person they encounter, not for votes or personal gain, but simply for the sake of doing so.

They understand that trust and respect cannot be expected on the first encounter, and thus strive diligently to develop them over time through their compassion and selflessness.

By investing in personal relationships, good leaders amass a repertoire of knowledge about the realities of others' lives. This information gives them insight into how they ought to leverage their role as a leader to serve the specific needs of their community.

When they notice a particular situation or circumstance in which their wisdom or toil may be of assistance, they do not hesitate to devote their time and energy to provide guidance, comfort and encouragement. They are called upon to use their experience to balance, delicately, the interests of all stakeholders.

A good leader cannot just be a role model.

This week, let us all act with a sprinkle more humility, a drizzle more integrity and a bucketload more compassion.

Like a soldier, let us have our boots on the ground, physically entrenched and emotionally invested in the trials and tribulations of those around us.

And then, may we be so lucky, as to be judged as worthy, in the pages of merciless history, for a title as noble as leader.