What makes a truly great leader?

Great discussion! Personally, I agree with Pima about supporting your people and recognizing their family is their heart:thumb: Most leaders I've experienced wove this into their approach to building better teams.

ERAUMattmom - glad the time is passing a little easier for you. The January and March 2011 AROTC threads were my sanity savers:smile:
 
Ohio2015Parent said:
ERAUMattmom - glad the time is passing a little easier for you. The January and March 2011 AROTC threads were my sanity savers:smile:
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I am not sure I have any sanity left to save..... :cool:

I agree with Pima and I think one of the things that comes to mind with a good leader is empathy. I realize that you need intelligence and a strong grasp of the skills your people need to have, etc. but it seems that it is the intangibles that really make the great leaders. I don't know if empathy can be taught....I think it is a skill that can be nurtured but I think you may need to be born with it. That innate ability to see a teammate struggling and being able to lift them up.....I think that is immeasurable. And those are the leaders that people will take a bullet for.
 
navymomwannabe said:
I am not sure I have any sanity left to save..... :cool:
I agree with Pima and I think one of the things that comes to mind with a good leader is empathy. I realize that you need intelligence and a strong grasp of the skills your people need to have, etc. but it seems that it is the intangibles that really make the great leaders. I don't know if empathy can be taught....I think it is a skill that can be nurtured but I think you may need to be born with it. That innate ability to see a teammate struggling and being able to lift them up.....I think that is immeasurable. And those are the leaders that people will take a bullet for.
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Yes, you do - but I completely understand how the waiting wears on us. Just heard from my DS about his LDAC/CTLT slots coming this summer...bit some nails to bleeding over that one and cannot even think how to get thru the fall/early winter waiting for AROTC OML for active duty/guard duty assignments to come out. Each branch has those waiting for the answers moments and thank goodness here on the forums we can find others to talk to while waiting:thumb:
 
For me the answer is simple, the one defining quality every leader shares is...


...Courage.


That can take many forms:
  • The courage to take a stand
  • The courage to do what you believe is right
  • The courage to risk your own safety
  • The courage to be truly honest
  • The courage to ignore the naysayers
  • Etc

I cannot think of a single leader (even those I dislike) that does not display this core trait... courage.
 
One of the reasons that I love Pima so much is that she is almost always able to throw something into the mix that nobody else has thought of.

This is indeed a compliment as it comes from somebody who thinks so far outside the box that sometimes I can't even see the box.. hehe

Which brings me full circle back to this discussion about leadership. Not a single poster here listed being "school smart" as important to being a good leader. Noticeable absent from these posts is a need to have a high GPA or a high SAT/ACT or good high scores on the AFOQT....yet without these stats the chance to get an EA and go on to SFT it is impossible to commission into the USAF through ROTC.

I wonder how many possible great leaders slip thru the cracks because they are only decent students not cream of the crop students.
 
ERAUMattmom, although I don't necessarily think that being at the top of the class is a requirement for a good leader, I do think that a good leader has a desire to excel and be the best that he can be.

Most people aren't good at everything, but I think a good leader has certain things in which he or she excels and would not accept being average in those areas where he does not excel. He steps up to the place and doesn't let his weaknesses drag him down. It might mean working harder in certain areas. Just being an ok student would probably not give me a lot of confidence in the person being a good leader. I would want someone intelligent enough to make solid decisions and who has the drive to overcome his weak areas.

If certain things are more difficult for that person, then they should work twice as hard (in my opinion). An area of weakness should be made up by an area in which they excel. The end result should be somebody at the top, not in one area, but in general.
 
2018Class said:
ERAUMattmom, although I don't necessarily think that being at the top of the class is a requirement for a good leader, I do think that a good leader has a desire to excel and be the best that he can be.

Most people aren't good at everything, but I think a good leader has certain things in which he or she excels and would not accept being average in those areas where he does not excel. He steps up to the place and doesn't let his weaknesses drag him down. It might mean working harder in certain areas. Just being an ok student would probably not give me a lot of confidence in the person being a good leader. I would want someone intelligent enough to make solid decisions and who has the drive to overcome his weak areas.

If certain things are more difficult for that person, then they should work twice as hard (in my opinion). An area of weakness should be made up by an area in which they excel. The end result should be somebody at the top, not in one area, but in general.
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When I say decent student, not a top student in my mind I am thinking a minimum of 3.0 GPA to a 3.5 GPA. And maybe scores in the 70's to 80's in their AFOQT or 1200 on their SAT. A student that works hard, but has maybe one or two subjects that don't come as easy to him or her than a cream of the crop student that has never gotten anything but A's their whole life. A student is in good shape athletically and brings leadership experience to the table...just not the 3.8 - 4.0 GPA or the 1400+ SAT or the 90's in their AFOQT
 
ERAUMattmom said:
When I say decent student, not a top student in my mind I am thinking a minimum of 3.0 GPA to a 3.5 GPA. And maybe scores in the 70's to 80's in their AFOQT or 1200 on their SAT. A student that works hard, but has maybe one or two subjects that don't come as easy to him or her than a cream of the crop student that has never gotten anything but A's their whole life. A student is in good shape athletically and brings leadership experience to the table...just not the 3.8 - 4.0 GPA or the 1400+ SAT or the 90's in their AFOQT
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Then I agree with you. Many of those men and women could make very good leaders. I don't think high tests scores in everything or being a straight A student makes somebody a great leader.

There are so many other things that matter more than being good at something that comes easily to you. Such as seeing something through from start to finish. Arriving early and staying late. Stepping up to the plate when you don't have to. Being willing to do what it takes to accomplish a task. Having the confidence and conviction to make tough decisions. Not losing your cool during stressful situations. Those are things that have nothing to do with getting straight As, in my opinion.
 
Ligustinus said:
I don't think we can really compare these though. Omar Bradley, George Patton, and Chesty Puller were military leaders appointed by one man for a job, presidents are elected and do a different job so need different skills. So while good looks may help in one leadership role, in the military (which I feel this question mostly pertains) it doesn't really matter.
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Those guys were appointed to their last jobs by one man... but their leadership ability and overall success got them all the way to that last job. I guarantee you "Captains" Puller, Patton and Bradley were pretty darn impressive when it came to leadership.

ERAUMattmom said:
I wonder how many possible great leaders slip thru the cracks because they are only decent students not cream of the crop students.
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I'd think those with what it takes to be a great leader, even those without good grades, would find a way to fulfill their destiny. There's always (at least in the Army) ROTC programmers and OCS for those who don't have top grades.
 
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Truly Great Leaders

Q. How many truly great leaders does it take to change a light bulb?

A.
 
Default Truly Great Leaders

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Q. How many truly great leaders does it take to change a light bulb?

A.




Is this a trick question?
 
ABF said:
I'd think those with what it takes to be a great leader, even those without good grades, would find a way to fulfill their destiny. There's always (at least in the Army) ROTC programmers and OCS for those who don't have top grades.
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Or even those who do have top grades.
 
Great test scores and grades do matter - but I agree that someone who has never struggled in any academic area may not always be the best leadership candidate. Struggle teaches humility which I also believe is a necessary trait of a great leader. To inspire others to push through their own short comings takes someone who has done so already. JMHO.

Courage was a great trait to mention - especially identifying the different types of courage a leader needs.

Now, will someone please answer the riddle about the light bulb:biggrin:
 
Great leaders don't have to change the light bulb - they inspire others to do it for them!
 
+1 MSFaygo

except according to light bulb jokes....a Russian Leader, because they don't last as long as light bulbs...
 
Respect and Empathy Prevail

I think respect and empathy are important. You can lead with intimidation and fear (yelling and threatening punishment) and your subordinates (while obeying because they have to) actually mentally tune you out. If you lead with respect and empathy by leading by example, calmly, (with your inside voice) and understanding the needs of those you serve, you will gain their respect and our subordinates will obey because they want to.
























































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I'd think those with what it takes to be a great leader, even those without good grades, would find a way to fulfill their destiny. There's always (at least in the Army) ROTC programmers and OCS for those who don't have top grades.[/QUOTE]

Colin Powell, was one of those that came up through ROTC that possessed great leadership abilities but not necessarily great grades, definitely someone to look up to in my opinion.
 
And the answer is...

Divine Intervention (Pope Francis tops Fortune's "World's Greatest Leaders" list)
 
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