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There is a huge hole in every ‘top 10 qualities of a great leader’ list I have seen.
They all list approximately the same things, by different names, and in different order.
Honesty, integrity, transparency, vulnerability, vision, creativity, dependability, empathy, and so on.
In none of them have I seen the one behaviour that to me just sticks out like a beacon:
Compounding.
Compounding is as Einstein pointed out, ‘The most potent force in the universe’.
Leaders can be born, to a few, it is a natural state.
However, to most it is a set of behaviours deployed relentlessly, consistently, over a long period that creates followers.
The best leaders in my experience, understand this and deliberately and consistently behave in a manner that others want to follow.
Leaders who actually lead, do so not because they demand to be leaders, but because they invest, tiny bits, over a long period. in the individuals around them. Each investment (read interaction) may be small, but it compounds on the last one, and the one before, where they counselled, advised, observed, offered praise, stepped back when praise was offered from elsewhere, and provided cover by taking responsibility when there was a cock up.
Compounding good leadership practices breed great leaders.
Director, StrategyAudit
Marcus Gordon
