The mark of a good leader

Leadership isn’t about a title or lording it over other people. A quick Google search defines a leader as “the person who leads or commands a group, organization, or country.” There are various styles of leadership including autocratic, bureaucratic, coach, democratic, and servant leader among others. Each style has its advantages and disadvantages and frankly a truly effective leader will recognize how to apply the various styles as the audience and situation warrants.
But what is the mark of a good leader? There are many definitions but here is one quote that resonated with me and is consistent with how I view good leadership and what I aspire to do each and every day in my personal and professional life.

“A good leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way” – Dr. Michael A. Freeman.

A good leader knows the way

A good leader has an idea or understanding of where they are going and what they are trying to accomplish (e.g a vision). We see this clearly demonstrated with sports coaches (leading teams to a championship) but is just applicable in the home (raising godly children) and in business (providing goods or services that customers will willingly buy and advocate passionately about). Some questions the good leader will have to answer include:

Where am I going?
What am I trying to accomplish?
What does success look like?
How do I get there?
What resources do I need to succeed?

A good leader goes the way

In my opinion, this is the crux of being a good leader. There’s an old saying “Do as I say, not as I do” and it is the antithesis of good leadership (in my opinion). Side note: If you you know the right thing to do and tell me but don’t live by it, it causes the me to question whether it really is the right way and why I should follow it if you aren’t doing the same. A good leader leads by example. It’s one thing to know the way to go, it’s another to live out what you believe. For example, the leader who demonstrates loyalty to peers, subordinates, customers or employers will find that others will demonstrate loyalty to them in turn – no matter how difficult or impossible the task, goal or cause may be. We see for example with our military who will lay down their lives following their leaders knowing they would do the same for them. A good leader should ask themselves questions such as:

Am I modeling the behavior I would like to see demonstrated in my team?
Would I want to have “me” as a leader?

A good leader shows the way

If you know the way to go, and you follow that path, you are just a good individual performer. A good leader is also able to show others how to succeed and achieve personal and/or professional goals. This is particularly relevant for me as a technology leader but applies to many other disciplines as well (e.g. doctors and teaching hospitals). There is something about having a leader who does not just tell you what to do but shows you how to accomplish the task at hand. There is a confidence that comes from knowing this leader has encountered similar situations in their past and is able to share their knowledge and expertise with the team.

I have encountered my fair share of challenges, that when presented to my team, resulted in responses such as “it’s impossible”, “it can’t be done”, or “that’s unrealistic”. That’s always a great opportunity for me to work side-by-side with my team, and guide them through that challenge step by step. The team gains a healthy respect for my approach to leadership (and technical abilities!). Frankly, it also made them more willing to trust me when the next challenge arose knowing they could count on me to show them the path to success versus just making a demand that they accomplish something difficult by themselves. Some questions a good leader should ask include:

Am I effectively communicating a vision for my team?
Am I recognizing the unique gifts and talents in my people and helping them to maximize them?
Am I grooming the next generation of leaders (i.e. to take on increasing levels of responsibility)?
How can I best support and enable my team to accomplish the tasks ahead of us?

The next time you wonder what makes a good leader, remember –

“A good leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way”.

A good leader has an understanding of what they are trying to accomplish (i.e. knows the way).They must lead by example (i.e. go the way). And he or she must understand how to effectively lead other people (i.e. show the way).