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High Performance Leaders Combine Courage and Compassion

What do people look for in a leader?

I believe that there are four key strengths that leaders must develop: clarity, courage, creativity, and compassion. As leaders we should develop these in connection with each other.

I was thinking about this as I was leading a workshop on controlling chaos yesterday. When we are leading our way (and others' way) through difficult situations it is no time to be shy. It's not the time to sit back and wait for something to happen. It's not the time to get passive.

High performance leaders make their expectations clear. They raise the bar. They look for people to give their best, speak up, and be assertive.

It's easy to go over the edge, though. It's easy to fall into an extreme. Leaders do it frequently and are often portrayed in the media as strong and confident even though that occurs at the expense of other people's self-esteem and well being. Centered, high performance leaders do not lead and achieve at the expense of other people -- they lead in collaboration with other people.

That means that high performance leaders need a carefully developed combination of courage and compassion.

Courage without compassion leads to bullying. Compassion without courage leads to surrender. High performance leaders combine courage and compassion.

What are you doing today to develop your flexibility, centeredness, and use of both compassion and courage. The magic is in the blend and that's where your best results will be found.

-- Doug Smith


key words:

Comments

  1. David SpiegelMarch 20, 2016 at 6:27 PM

    My mentor Darren Hardy shared with me the other day"Be First!"......as leaders we must be first....to step up, to take a chance and in those infamous words ....go where no man has ever gone before!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Doug SmithMarch 20, 2016 at 6:32 PM

      True, David. As leaders we must often go where no one has ever gone before. And, it's amazing how much more courageous our team becomes when we first show it in action.

      As always, Dave, I truly appreciate your comments.

      Delete

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