On Leading With Greatness

The Ancient Greek philosopher Plutarch may offer some insight here. Plutarch wrote, “I don’t need a friend who changes when I change and who nods when I nod.” Perhaps feeling a little cheeky, he added, “My shadow does that much better.” Plutarch certainly would have rejected an enabling shadow like Jeff Greene as a friend. As it goes with television characters and Greek philosophers, so it goes with leaders. Unchecked personal loyalty can be detrimental and even destructive as we see with Larry’s friend Jeff. As Plutarch suggests, such an ally is as useless as a shadow or worse.

We all know the type. Think of television and movie characters such as Logan Roy from Succession. Or consider historical world leaders such as Napoleon. What do all these individuals—real or imagined—have in common? They have all embraced the “strongman” model of leadership . The strongman model occurs far more prevalently in everyday life. It’s the way of many or even most bosses.

Just the other day, something extraordinary happened. Someone praised me.

Not that no one ever praises me, but it was the context that made it land differently.

For years, I struggled to accept compliments with the grace they deserve. When praised, my mind would grumble, “What’s their angle” or “If only they knew…” I’d tell myself I needed to dismiss their recognition so I could “stay humble,” which really just reflected a limiting belief that I'm not deserving.

Like all limiting beliefs, it’s silly and untrue of course; earned praise is deserved praise. I eventually realized how off-putting it was when I deflected others’ compliments. I wasn’t being humble. I was being ungracious and ungrateful.

So, I learned to accept compliments in the spirit they’re offered. This shift also unlocked the door to gratitude and its rewards.

What happened the other day reminded me of all this.

Bossplainers have a compulsion to expound on how to do everything. Their behavior is utterly demoralizing because it starts and ends with the assumption that people don’t know what they’re doing. Every error—perceived or real—is blown out of proportion.

One of my favorite sayings comes from Mike Tyson, the champion boxer:

Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.

So, if plans are so useless, why plan?

Are you ready for a shocking revelation that could save your business and improve the wellbeing of everyone around you? Well, brace yourself because what I’m about to expose may upset you.

If you’re a clear-thinker who values candor, keep reading and heed every word. Your company’s and even your own future may depend on it.

Let’s just get this out of the way: Bosses are never leaders. As for leaders, they’re never bosses.

So, it’s that simple. Bosses aren’t leaders. But how do you tell the difference between a mere boss and a true leader? Sometimes it’s just obvious. You simply know. But if you’re not sure, one easy test is to determine which direction they’re running. One will be running away and one running toward.

Leadership is practically in my blood. From a young age, I have been thrust into leadership positions, and I had to rely on my wits to succeed. Nonetheless, I always was a pretty good gut leader.

Leadership is a skill, and like any other skill you can be born into it, but it must also be learned. The thing with learning new skills, though, is that while someone can guide you through the process, they cannot teach you the actual skill. That only comes through application and practice.

Are you awake? How can you be sure?

Someone once observed, “It’s only when you wake up that you notice you were sleeping.” It’s a thinker, a puzzle, a paradox. Consider how often you operate on autopilot, un-present and unaware of your unawareness. It takes an act of consciousness—triggered from the outside or from within—to realize we’ve been sleepwalking.

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What a spectacle! A 70-something-year-old white man commanding the stage as he bellows into a microphone. He holds this packed stadium in thrall to his every utterance. The crowd is in raptures. His crowd. They’ve heard all he has to say before, and they want to hear it all again. They cheer, they chant, and they yell his words back in sync to him.

This is not some tawdry political rally, though, and the man on stage is no bumptious demagogue. He is Bruce Springsteen—“The Boss”—performing at a recent concert I attended. And I can tell you that his reputation as a fantastic showman is solid.