Do we need another article on leadership? There have been so many articles on this topic that it’s easy to find some of the most renowned leaders sharing their insights on the qualities a leader should have to instill trust in leadership. Peter Ducker, the guru of leadership, Steve Forbes, a billionaire publisher, and Jack Welch, a famous GE CEO and business analyst, have all written extensively on leadership. There are lists of leadership qualities that provide 22 qualities of a great leader, 21 indispensable qualities, ten most important features of leadership, nine leadership traits, the seven virtues a leader needs, the four cornerstones on which a qualified leader builds his company, etc. It’s all available online and on bookshelves.
“I have been there and done that.” Over the years of being a leader, I have read countless articles on this topic, as well as checklists and guiding aids. For all the written advice, I have come to distill it down to one simple human reality: we need a heart to pump lifeblood into the body’s system. Of all the vital organs we have, the heart takes on a life-giving role. As leaders, in my opinion, we need a singularly life-giving quality of relationships: trust. Trust in leadership is paramount. Let’s compare trust to the heart.