Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, I’m Looking for a Great Leader
14 Jan
Identify the qualities of a great effective leader with integrity, intelligence and energy
How do you identify top leaders within your company, your community and within yourself?
I saw a lecture by the great Warren Buffett, Forbes magazine’s world’s wealthiest man, the other day that I found incredibly interesting and insightful. He was speaking to a group of MBA students. He started off his lecture by defining the three qualities of a great leader.
- Integrity
- Intelligence
- Energy
He stressed that leaders need all three qualities to be great. If they have only two of the three, then you do not have a great leader. You need all three qualities to be present.
The biggest thing I got out of it was how this can be used in any business setting, even in small businesses such as yours and mine. If you’re looking to mentor a junior staff member to become a manager or to take a leadership role inside your company someday, first look to see if they possess these qualities first. Do they have the energy? Are they intelligent and easy learners? Finally (and probably most importantly) do they have integrity?
What sets great leaders apart from smart and energetic leaders is that great leaders have integrity as well. You know this because those who possess integrity are those people that you feel you can trust. Don’t get caught up believing that a smart and energetic manager can become an effective leader for your organization, they can’t.
From now on, I’m going to be paying particular attention to the level of integrity and trust I have in people when I look at them for leadership roles within my company, no matter how small the leadership role is.
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Andy Buyting has been in the retail industry since he was six years old. Today, he applies his entrepreneurial know-how to Green Village Home & Garden, one of Canada's most successful specialty garden stores. Green Village Home & Garden is currently expanding into multiple locations throughout eastern Canada.
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