With all of the cheating and lying done by Wall Street bankers, investment houses and the lack of integrity by our politicians, the world demands a different type of leader.
Many Americans are frustrated, angry and afraid because of the problems we are facing as a nation: joblessness, healthcare, the debate over global warming, Republicans vs. Democrats…the list can go on and on. Although I hear the word leadership a lot, I see very little evidence of it in the political arena. Special interest groups, lobbyists, and power grabbing politicians seem to rule the day. Many will say that is just the way things are done and it will not change. However, if we are to return to the great nation we once were it is going to take a new kind of leadership.
We need a leader who does not look back and place the blame on someone else, but accepts the challenge in front of him or her and is committed to representing the interests of all people, not just the ones who agree with them. We need a leader who is able to gain consensus by acknowledging different viewpoints and finding common ground to bring about a win-win.
As a national operations leader of an organization of over 1200 employees, it was important that I be open to all points of view. It was amazing how many times great ideas came out of conversations with team members who brought a different perspective to an initiative that I for which I thought I had considered all the angles. In order for this to work, my team had to feel safe to express their opinions without fear of retaliation. As a result we were able to achieve great business success.
We need a new kind of leadership to revive the entrepreneurial spirit that made our nation great. I am not talking about an individual, but leaders at every level of our society, leaders who are willing to stand up and be counted, leaders who are not just thinking about themselves and their place in history, but the good of all people.
Are you willing to stand up and be counted?
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