Love and Leadership

Once again I am going to streamline things and incorporate my question for chapter five in with my favorite quote...

"A leader in sports, business or any other field of endeavor should possess and provide the same qualities inherant in a good parent: character, consistency, dependability, accountability, knowledge, good judgement, selflessness, respect, courage, discipline, fairness, and structure. And while all these will make you a good leader they will not make you a great leader. For that, one additional quality - perhaps the most important of all - is necessary... I believe you must have love in your heart for those under your leadership." (p 80)

Ok, so my question is this: Do you agree with this statement (that love is the most important quality)? If yes, why? If no, then what do you think is the most important and why??

Personally I think that love is very important, but I also think that love without discipline, or love without selflessness, or love without character, or love without any number of the other qualities is pointless and hypocritical. So, I guess in a way I'd agree that Love is the most important because if you genuinely love those under your leadership you'll want what'sbest for them and all those other qualities will take care of themselves.... What do you think??

Walk the Walk...

For this week I think I am going to combine my favorite quote and the "Question Of The Week" into the same post. So, all you need do is list your own favorite quote from the chapter and answer the question in the same "comment".

Hopefully that makes sense...

"Actions trump words, and your values must be visible if they are to have an impact on those you lead... Your behavior as a leader - WHAT YOU DO - creates the environment in which the team functions." (pp 74-75)

It took me too long to realize that those I was striving to lead followed best when they saw in me an example worth following. Through HS and into college I thought that because of my position as long as I told people what needed to be done they would take my word for it and do it. Sometimes they did, but the more I was put into a position of leadership the more I realized the truth in the old adage "Your actions speak louder than your words". It was amazing to me to see that if I took the initiative and did what needed to be done to the best of my ability, those I was leading would usually do the same. However if I would merely tell those I was leading to do what needed to be done, they would only contribute the amount of effort they saw me putting in.

What I said had some impact, and what you say will too. Words can be powerful motivators, but without the actions to back them they are powerful for only a very short time. To have a lasting impact (ie throughout the season, or throughout the year) your actions must be something others can look to as an example.

So that brings me to my question...

In whatever arena you're going to be participating (you may have to answer this differently if you are involved in multiple venues) 1. What are two or three SPECIFIC GOALS you want those you are leading to achieve, and 2. what are some SPECIFIC ACTIONS that will help guide those you are leading to those goals?

Have a good week!

Chris