What makes a good leader?
A leader – no matter how seasoned in their craft, will come in humble and work hard to earn your trust and won’t expect it marching in head high.
They are someone who doesn’t bring steadfast their beliefs but rather presents an open ear to all points of view – respecting the delivery of those messages regardless of how raw or scripted their are.
A good leader makes decisions based on that feedback and a genuine respect for diverse viewpoints and basic principles like kindness, love, dignity, and above all, a grounded moral compass.
Sometimes the decisions ourbleaders make must come in haste but more often then not, they will be carefully weighed.
Leaders will make mistakes but are not afraid to apologize and be vulnerable to show their flawed underbelly yet stern and to-the-point when behavior or work ethic are affecting other team members or external clients.
Ideally, they have chosen to become a leader because they love people and helping others, and they are full of ideas too.
You can want things too like a car that doesnt break down all the time and a place to call your own – we all do, but the basis of the roles you play should be rooted in love and passion and a real sense of purpose.
Be present. Be open-minded. Do the little things to show you care about their outcomes in life.
From there, all you can do is your best. You’re human. Allow yourself the freedom and forgiveness to fvck it all up sometimes. Just scrape your pride from the pavement, get up, correct any wrongs but focus on the rights, and move into tomorrow with those lessons in your heart and the dawn of a bright new tomorrow in your mind.
A great leader makes it a priority to lift up rather than tear down. Above all else, they are human. They see the flawed yet beautiful humanity in all of us and whole-heartedly want to find a way to common ground so that we can all truly enjoy the waves against our shores, the cheerful chirp of the birds, the heckling of a squirrel to the curious dog below, a cat sunbathing on a patch of sun on the porch, a babies joyous laughter, or the site of an elderly couple still holding hands enjoying local shops on a brisk autumn day.
Our society is complex, yet beauty is so simple.
Great leaders have a way of bringing out the best and purest of those they lead by recognizing that when we feel included and valued – based on what those words mean to us and not what they mean to deciaion-makers – everyone finds a sense of joy, place, and belonging.
I respect that this definition might be different than yours. That’s how my opinions tweak every day, and I hope they will until I die.
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Raw and mostly un-edited after seeing a ‘prompt’ on the Jetpack app.