Politics or Leadership?

I’m certain it won’t have escaped your attention; there’s a new president in the oval office and I’m thinking you will agree here - it’s been a hectic few weeks as he’s settling himself in!

Setting aside that administration’s politics and policies (tricky one that) I decided instead to consider the quality of leadership on offer in this new era. It may inspire some, it doesn’t inspire me, yet I got to thinking, here’s an opportunity to audit the quality of our own leadership.

In all the conversations and debates I’ve had over the years involving sport, business and yes, politics, leadership is the competence that most fascinates. It’s a passion too and the quality of leadership on offer is the one thing that can make or break any team, business or organisation.

It’s not all about the result you see - important as that is - it’s about how we achieve it, the journey we choose and the way we inspire people along the way.

I could offer personal examples of great leadership but I won’t - we each have our own heroes so instead, I’ll invite you to consider one tenet of leadership - TRUST - and to further consider the principles of trust such that you can ask yourself, “How do I show in the world?”

  • Integrity - the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. If you have integrity, others will trust you with their resources
  • Compassion - sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. If you are compassionate others will trust you when they are vulnerable
  • Transparency - the condition of being transparent. When you are transparent others will trust you with their allegiance
  • Fairness - impartial and just treatment or behaviour without favouritism or discrimination. When you are fair with people they will trust you when you disagree

In the end, interpretation is everything but, whether people trust you or not will be determined by ...

What You Say

How You Say It

What You Do

How You Do It

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