The essence of good leadership

Why would anyone want to be led by you? I know that's a tough question, and it's not just about formal managers, it's about everyone:

It should be important to you that people want to follow you (and also horses and dogs, if that is your passion).

I used to do semi-professional ballroom dancing for a long time. There, the men have the leadership responsibility on the floor. I have never met a woman who liked weak, unclear leadership.

On the contrary, this is how we all feel: We are happier and achieve more if we lead ourselves and others well. What does that mean exactly?

Here are three important reminders that sometimes many people forget:

1. Self-leadership. Leadership begins in yourself. You can never lead others better than you do for yourself. This includes clarity about your own goals, consistency, and recognition of achievements.
2. Clarity. The number one criterion for good leadership is clarity: clarity about goals, clarity about the "why," clarity about first steps, clarity about decisions, clarity about values, and clarity about everything. The quality of leadership is directly proportional to the clarity of the leader.
3. Consequence. That comes immediately after clarity: bad leadership is often characterized by a lack of consequence, by indecisiveness, by delays. Attention: Consistency starts with yourself (see point 1). If you are negligent towards yourself, you cannot expect consequence from others.

Extra tip: Rate yourself for each of the three points on a scale of 1-10. How good are you really at it? Then let others evaluate your leadership. Again, you don't have to be a formal manager.

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