What makes a Good Leader?

I love a good daily prompt to get the mind focussed and thinking. So what does make a good leader?

Is it a list? if so, can it be applied generally across the board to all and sundry? let’s see:

Edward de Bono said the Blue hat, from his six thinking hats, is a good leader. The blue hat is, and I quote ” used to manage the thinking process. It’s the control mechanism that ensures the six thinking hat guidelines are observed……

What are the other hats I hear you ask. In summary they are:

White Hat – collects the facts and only the facts.

Yellow Hat – symbolises optimism and brightness, ie. explores the positives and benefits.

Black hat – The risk management hat. Spots the difficulties and risks.

The red hat – Feelings, intuition, hunches, likes and dislikes,

The Green hat – focuses on creativity, possibilities, alternatives. This hat sees opportunities to explore new concepts.

So collectively, in the board room we effectively could do with a person to wear each hat and put their thoughts, feelings and ideas to the blue hat, or the blue hat must ensure that he has covered the thinking processes of the other hats if he is to make a decision all by himself/herself.

Lets test this with Winnie the Pooh. When there is a problem it is usually to him that most of the other creatures go. He usually responds with optimism, consideration and empathy. He is definitely a problem soother but is that enough to lead?

What about Christopher Robin, the only human amongst the creatures. He generally is the one that the animals go to when they have a BIG problem. He is most certainly, more often than not, a problem solver.

What about the ‘what I say goes’ type of leader. The organizer, the planner, the hit the ground running, even if other’s do not necessarily agree…mmmmmm, Rabbit is a bit like that, wouldn’t you say? Me too sometimes! yikes, my bad!!

Do we need a mentor to lead, the knowledgeable one. The one with the facts, like Owl. He reads a lot and knows a lot. Surely he can show them all the way?

and then there is Kanga, the steady, nurturing, caring, understanding creature. Can she lead on that alone or does she need the knowledge, the planning, the organisation, the optimism and consideration of all the facts?

What about courage, tenacity, honesty, ability to listen but also plough on in the face of adversity? Does a good leader need to step back, observe, listen, delegate, give responsibility to, his team, his friends, his family, whatever it is he/she is supposed to be leading?

I think a good leader is all the above, a person who knows that they cannot do it by themselves, for that is just ego. They must trust others, support others, allow others to contribute at the table, and understand that in order to lead you must also stand back.

Now the only other thing to consider is in terms of leadership, is to know that not all leaders are necessarily good, or have good intentions for the greater good of others. Some leaders are driven by greed, power, control and dominance.

Watch any Marvel movie, watch any piece of history, recent, or otherwise, and you will see what consequences have been as a result of poor or insincere leadership.

So, like in the world of the 100 acre wood, lets be a Winnie the Pooh & gang kind of leader.