Mr. Ripple Takes Your Questions

Have a question?  Need a take?  Want to just hear my occasional ramblings on a particular topic?  Send me an email at steve@ripplecentral.com and I'll do my best to answer whatever is on your mind. 

Chris, a loyal reader of my BLOG for the past few years recently sent in the following question: 

"What makes a good leader?"

Great question Chris.  I saw Colin Powell, one of my heroes speak a few years ago and he addressed this very question.  In fact I loved what he had to say on the topic of being a good leader so much that I often share his philosophy when I speak to executives and leaders of companies.

I am paraphrasing here but essentially he said that a good leader is someone whose troops will follow him/her if for no other reason than out of curiosity.

You see a leader establishes a real connection to the people they lead by demonstrating every day his or her own commitment to them as individuals. It doesn't happen overnight and it certainly doesn't happen because a leader deems it to be so.  Real leaders understand they have to prove themselves through their actions, their commitments and their own follow-through.  It's when they show they are willing to make the investment in the people they are in charge of that real trust is built.  That trust is a bond that is often unbreakable.

Build that trust and be a true leader and the people you lead won't ask why you are taking them where you are.  They'll simply say "let's go!"

Ripple On!!!

Want some more references on leadership? Check out:

Colin Powell's presentation on leadership: http://www.blaisdell.com/powell/
Also check out Colonel Thomas Magness's BLOG: http://leaderbusiness.blogspot.com/