You see, I think one of most important qualities a leader can bring is the ability, the energy, the desire to unlock potential in others. I think leadership is ultimately about helping other people achieve more than they think is possible; it is about helping people see a different set of possibilities for themselves.
I’ve been asked a lot since if there are any lessons I’ve learned about character and leadership. There are three lessons, I think that I have learned, that continue to instruct me to this day, that continue to guide me in both business and in life.
The first lesson is that values matter and character counts and that. The first lesson is that values matter and character counts, and that no matter how much things change, fundamental values shouldn't. For those of you who are just starting out your career, you will find that in leadership—as perhaps in life—the most important decisions you make, and the toughest decisions you make are often the decisions you make alone. And when you make those decisions, there is an opportunity to be buffeted about by and confused by all kinds of things: conventional wisdom, and popular emotion…and maybe by cynicism and doubt as well.
I think leadership takes what I would call a strong internal compass. And I use the term compass because what does a compass do? When the winds are howling, and the storms raging, and the sky is so cloudy that you have nothing to navigate by, a compass tells you where true North is. And I think when a person is in a difficult situation, a lonely situation; you have to rely on that compass. Who am I? What do I believe? Do I believe I am doing the right things for the right reasons in the best way I can? Sometimes that’s all you have.
The second lesson I’ve learned about character and leadership is that leadership, just like success, is not a journey, it is a destination. It is perhaps a clichéto say that leadership is a journey not a destination but it is a clichébecause it is true, leadership is a journey. The only constant in any of our lives, whether you're running a company or running a family, or perhaps running a country, is change. But change has never been as constant and as fast as it is today.
To me, the dividing line between will increasingly separate the winners from the losers in the marketplace those individuals, the dividing line between those individuals who truly make a difference and a contribution in the 21st century from those who do not—is the line between those who embrace change and those who run away from it. It will be between those who seek to lead change, and those who find refuge in the status quo or in their comfort zones.
And the third lesson I’ve learned about leadership and success is that real power comes in the connections between all kinds of things; but most importantly real power comes from the connections between people. Power comes not from those who stand alone, .but from those who can work best with others, and reach out to others to achieve a desired outcome. And finding those connections and recognizing those connections is part of what leadership is all about.
As leaders, you can never forget that people want to do a good job. They want to be treated with consideration and respect. They want to feel a real sense of accomplishment in their work, to have their ideas considered, and their achievements recognized. People want to feel like they’re part of something larger than themselves–to be a part of the larger vision, direction, to be part of worthy goals.
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