Do you aspire to be a perfect leader?
Perfect leadership does not exist. Read that again! Perfect leadership does not exist!
Outstanding leaders are human beings. This means that they experience the same human emotions, drives and impulses as the rest of us. They are not perfect, they are human.
Outstanding leaders make decisions, usually with imperfect information. They take necessary risks. And they put a lot on the line to make their efforts successful. Often, they are right, sometimes wrong. They are not perfect. They are human.
Outstanding leaders do their work through the work of others, meaning that relationships are very important. Sometimes they have created those relationships by virtue of their hires, but often they have inherited the many people working with them. Sometimes those relationships fail. Leaders are not perfect, and they are human.
Outstanding leaders at the highest levels make very few decisions, often causing people to wonder what they really do for the money that they make. But those decisions are usually a very big deal, decisions that were “delegated up” by those without the knowledge or desire to take the risks involved. Those big deal decisions require a lot of research, and usually affect a lot of lives, and involve a lot of money. And most of those decisions result in some being very happy with the results, while others disagree, and are very unhappy. In a free market, leaders earn every dollar that they make. This is a huge responsibility, and sometimes leaders make mistakes, despite their best efforts. Leaders are not perfect, and they are human.
Outstanding leaders do their work in “a glass house.” They are being observed by their boards, their staff, the employees in their charge, their customers, and their communities. They are being judged constantly. This is stressful, and often hurtful. They are not perfect, and they are human.
So…when was the last time you offered your leaders the gift of appreciation for what they are doing? Take some time to say thank you.
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