19
2010
The Marks of a Great Leader
An article by 
Think back to some of the great leaders that you have worked with through the years. Think of names, think of faces, think ofpersonalities. What made them great? How were they similar?
Tony Schwartz recently blogged for Fast Company on what makes great leaders similar. Schwartz boiled it down to four capacities that a great leader has that most are lacking:
- Rather than simply trying to get more out of us, great leaders seek to understand and meet our needs, above all a compelling mission beyond our immediate self-interest, or theirs.
- Great leaders take the time to clearly define what success looks like, and then empower and trust us to figure out the best way to achieve it.
- The best of all leaders–a tiny fraction–have the capacity to embrace their own opposites, most notably vulnerability alongside strength, and confidence balanced by humility.
- Great leaders recognize strengths in us that we don’t always yet fully see in ourselves.
Reading through the list I see servant leadership throughout it, and can recognize each of the capacities in the great leaders that I have worked with.
What would you ad to the list?
How do you teach your teams to be great leaders?
About the Author: Matt Steen
Over the last fifteen years I have been a Church Planter, Youth Pastor, Executive Pastor, and now I serve as a Church Concierge with churchsimple.net. I love Jesus, my wife, the Redskins and Capitals and am currently living on Long Island striving to properly pronounce the word G'island.
