“Great Leaders” Find Gold Within

By Linda Fisher Thornton

Great leadership is often defined based on efficiency, effectiveness or profitability, but that’s no way to define a journey of character building and authenticity. There’s much more to the story that needs to be told.

Many people work hard to strike leadership gold and become great leaders. Few have a clear picture of exactly what the “great leadership” they’re aiming for will look like. Where will they find it? What kinds of development will help them grow into it? Who are good role models for it?

The greatest leaders look beyond the visible and tangible benefits of their leadership and seek the more meaningful impact that is hidden:

Helping others grow, they grow
Serving others, they contribute to positive change
Learning and serving, they become capable of doing more and being more to others
Leading with character, they leave a positive legacy that endures
Guiding others to good character and ethical actions, they tap into hidden capabilities of the team
Bringing out the team’s greatness, they accomplish what other leaders cannot

Great leaders tap into the “gold within.” They bring out the greatness within each person, helping them to reach their potential. They bring out the greatness in each team, creating the positive space for results that seem impossible.

Like archaeologists using a small brush under the hot desert sun, leaders carefully uncover the invisible – the rich deposits of hope, potential and impact that lie within others.