Leadership matters…

Leadership matters because the world is messy and by working together, we achieve much more than we do alone. Great leaders bring truth, order, clarity, motivation and excitement to everyone around them. Great leaders get stuff done.

Truth matters, because without it, all we see is the mess.

The rules matter - both the written and unwritten ones - because they hold leaders accountable, which makes it safer for followers to trust in their leaders.

Trust matters because it is the shortcut to every transaction (think about every boss who's had your back, or every purchase you've made with a brand you love). Without trust, there's too much due diligence, and getting stuff done becomes too difficult.

Humility matters because as a leader, how you behave when you break trust, screw up, or overstep the rules is what allows you to rebuild trust, and what allows those that follow you to see that you're open to growth and change.

Empathy matters, because followers need to know that even if a leader doesn't share your view, they can connect with and understand your needs. When a leader lacks empathy, it's much harder for them to inspire others to go with them.

Integrity matters, because when you show integrity, your followers respond by giving you things that make your job easier: the benefit of the doubt, support, more time to fix your mistakes and more of their energy to your common cause.

Truth, trust, empathy, humility and integrity are cornerstones of being a great leader. But they aren't always the easiest way to lead. They take more time to build than their opposites. And you can definitely get a few quick wins by being conniving or dishonest. In a world geared for short-term results, it's easy to see why people don't always choose these cornerstones. But anyone wanting a long career in building teams to get stuff done would be wise to choose them.