34th Edition
November 28, 2023
The Next Great Leader
Over the past two decades, I’ve written many times about leadership, in politics, world affairs, business and in sports. As a student of history I’ve enjoyed sharing thoughts about some of the great leaders our country has produced in these arenas, like Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower, Thomas Edison, and Vince Lombardi. I’ve made no bones about my opinion that today there is a leadership void at a time that prudent leadership is desperately needed. Then a new thought occurred to me. Perhaps that next impactful leader is almost ready to step forward but isn’t exactly sure how to lead during such a challenging time. So, on that hopeful note, here are six guidelines for the next great leader to follow:
1. Don’t be a chameleon. Trust your core values. Don’t even try to lead if you don’t have these core values – Integrity, Reliability, Dependability, Loyalty, Industriousness, Humility, Perseverance, and Honor.
2. Lead by looking ahead, not by the polls. The first time a member of your staff suggests you should sacrifice your core values because of an opinion poll, fire that person on the spot.
3. Surround yourself with the wisest group of individuals you can, who will have the courage to tell you the truth, even if it isn’t something you want to hear.
4. Take care of Aunt Jenny. Be a servant leader. Lead for the everyday, common person, not for the elite and powerful. The former will be loyal, the latter will not.
5. Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Even when you must deliver bad news, tell it straight. The respect you will earn will be well worth it over the long run.
6. Listen more than you speak. Avoid soundbites and social media. Less is more.
As you can see, the list is apolitical, and devoid of any specific policy recommendations. When it comes to effective leadership, character is way more important than policy. A person in charge might have the best policy, but if he isn’t trusted, his proposals may never be supported nor implemented. And once trust is lost, people stop listening. Without trust supporters are fickle.
Moreover, sometimes the initial policy doesn’t work, and changes have to be made. Eisenhower faced that many times during WWII. Since he had the trust of his subordinate generals and his boss, Chief of Staff George C. Marshall, as well as President Roosevelt, Eisenhower was able to adapt as necessary. Thomas Edison may have achieved as much notoriety for the number of times his experiments to discover the light bulb failed than for his ultimate success. How many people who followed him were inspired by his perseverance?
Today, because our national leaders aren’t trustworthy, and seemingly lack essential core values, or the will to follow them when under pressure, they have very little support and are viciously attacked for any mistakes. It is having a paralyzing effect on our country.
The next great leader should understand that leadership is inherently difficult. It requires a balance between humility and self-confidence. Doing the right thing is often unpopular, but as a leader it is better to be trusted and respected than it is to be widely popular. Lincoln certainly had many enemies, but even his most ardent rivals respected him.
I will be ever hopeful that this next great leader will eventually burst onto the scene. Perhaps, today, that person is already out there. He (or she) is probably already successful, living an abundant and enjoyable life in this great country. Somebody or something needs to spark a call deep within that person. A call to sacrifice his comforts and personal pleasures in order to serve the country which provided the opportunities for his very success. This extraordinary person needs to focus on his legacy, more than his possessions or accomplishments. He must be willing to enter the arena, be ready to stand tall and take the inevitable body blows from those intent on his destruction, yet remain true to his core values and the vision of the Founding Fathers, and the great leaders who followed. Fame and fortune will not be his prize. But where this person walks, and sits, and makes his mark, will like Gettysburg, become hallowed ground to a forever grateful nation.
Please help me grow my readership by forwarding this to a friend(s). In the meantime, say tuned for my next newsletter. Thanks
Michael Kayes
*These views are my personal opinions and are not the viewpoints of any company or organization.