Greatest Leadership Lesson

If you could only teach one leadership lesson to your son or daughter, what would it be. There are lots of good ones, but what would be the most important lesson? For me, one principle stands out. One, more than any other, separates the great leader from the simple manager.. the lesson is simple, but difficult to follow:

Seek out the truth!

We live in a world where we are taught to be right. Where competition breeds independence and discourages seeking advice. Credit is given to individuals and teams rarely stay together for more than a few years. (I still miss the BIG RED MACHINE). Heck, I gave up watching pro baseball because the teams change so much. What this breeds is individualism and more important... A need to be right all the time... to be the expert... to have the solution... but no... not the truth. I know, this is a bit of a rant, but take a moment to think about it. Do you enter team meetings seeking the truth: "What is the best answer?" and not your truth: "What is my answer?" This is the first lesson all leaders need to learn.. what is THE truth.. not their truth.

And what examples would I use. I will give you two good ones right now... General Marshall in WWII and Kennedy after the bay of pigs. More on these great leaders another time..