Become an “Ideal” Leader
A leader with ideals always strives but never arrives.
Anne Frank wrote, “It’s a wonder I haven’t abandoned all my ideals, they seem so absurd and impractical. Yet I cling to them because I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.”
Ideals are unreachable perfections. Excellence is always a pursuit.
An “Ideal” Leader
Ideals make demands.
An ideal shows the way. Integrity means winning isn’t everything. Blame shifting is unacceptable. Taking responsibility is essential.
Ideals expose inadequacy. Gaps lead to humility. Growth follows. Anyone with room to grow is inadequate.
Leadership apart from standards leads to arrogance. The ends justify the means.
7 Leadership Ideals
#1. Truthfulness
- Readiness to lose approval.
- Willingness to be disliked.
- Acceptance of being misunderstood.
#2. Integrity
- Aligning with moral excellence.
- Walking away from advantage that causes harm.
#3. Mastery
- Commitment to repetition.
- Openness to appear incompetent.
- Tolerance of boredom.
#4. Courage
- Confronting fear.
- Patience in the face of embarrassment.
- Admitting the possibility of failure.
#5. Service
- Sacrificing the seductions of ego.
- Using status to elevate others.
- Giving headlines to people who do the work.
#6. Self-respect
- Setting boundaries.
- Saying no.
- Refusing easy compromise.
#7. Endurance
- Staying steady without immediate payoff.
- Ignoring purposeful pain.
- Facing doubt from outsiders and even yourself.
Questions
- What am I currently doing that costs?
- What comfort am I willing to lose?
- What would I still pursue if no one noticed?
- What have I sacrificed in the last year?
- What hurts because I refused to quit?
Don’t seek meaning. Pursue ideals.
A meaningful life is guided by costly ideals.
Have you worked for an “ideal” leader?
What is an “ideal” leader like?
The Elimination of Humility in Leadership (Sarcasm)
Talks to Teachers on Psychology: And to Students on Life’s Ideals by William James
This is the message I needed today, thank you.
I am working to do the right thing and help my team understand and accept the changes. I need to hear that sometimes it’s OK when people are mad. We will get through this and be a better team on the other side.
Thank you for your encouragement every day, Dan!
In a way, doing the right thing simplifies life. But when others are involved, it feels more difficult. The view that adversity is useful changes the way we look at ourselves and life.
Your commitment encourages me. Stead on, Jenean.
Excellent article Dan. I’m sending it to my team and my clients. I’m sure that they will find it valuable. Thank you so much.
That means a lot to me, John. Best to you.
These ideals are for all of us as we lead, wherever we lead. At home, in the classroom, with peers, or preparing the next generation of leaders!
Good hearing from you, Philip. Thank you for the good word. Leadership is a fundamental way of being. It shows up in parenting, friendships, community involvement, self-discipline, and how we handle day-to-day frustrations. Cheers
It’s the difference between following rules and having standards. Rules tell you the one allowed way to do things. It may not be the best way, but at least you won’t get grief for doing it that way. Standards give you the framework but leave the details to you. And that can be scary for some folks.
So helpful, Jennifer. A rules-based life sucks the life out of us. Fulfillment waits on the other side of having standards. Steady on.
I had a coworker who used to say: “I won’t lower my standards, so up yours.” You may read that as you will!
Not exactly your point, but a close parallel. Makes me think of Chick-fil-A. They set very high standards and yet they are never satisfied. A very healthy dissatisfaction.