The Making of a Leader summary

Leadership isn’t solving an equation; it’s painting a picture. And just as different artists have different artistic styles, different leaders have different leadership styles. A painting by Pablo Picasso differs greatly from a work by Leonardo da Vinci, but everyone acknowledges that each mastered his own personal style. Leadership is no different.

That’s not to say that great leaders don’t have anything in common. There are a few core personality traits that help keep leaders moving forward – no matter their personal style.

Philosophy isn’t just for thinkers who sit around all day pondering the meaning of life. You, too, have a philosophy, even if you’re not aware of it. 

In this context, “philosophy” just means a set of guiding beliefs and principles. When applied to organizations, it can be an extremely powerful leadership tool. When everyone aligns behind a shared philosophy, team members will know what’s expected of them, and leaders will be able to make better decisions. 

What do you want to accomplish today? What about tomorrow? What about a month from now? How about five years from now?

These aren’t just thought exercises; great leaders need to know the answers to these questions and make sure that their teams know them as well. And once you’ve identified your goal, you have to use it to guide your decisions – both short-term and long-term.

A leader joining a new organization is a lot like an unknown cowboy walking into a saloon in the Wild West. No, you probably won't be confronted with a sinister tableau of whiskey-drinking, pistol-packing, beard-wearing cattle rustlers – but all eyes will be on you. You're new to this town. People will be wondering who you are. And there will be influential individuals in their midst – people who are well-known, well-liked, and well-respected.

But there's no need for this to end in a figurative shootout. Don’t be threatened by the presence of others already in the organization; instead, use them to your advantage. A team, unlike a saloon, is big enough for multiple leaders to thrive.

It’s a cliché, but it’s true: the only thing permanent in life is change. No matter how good things look at the moment, that won’t last forever. Something will undoubtedly throw a wrench in the works: people will evolve, strategies will become outdated, attitudes will shift. It’s a guarantee.

So how is a leader supposed to overcome this and know when it’s time to make changes? For one, it always helps to get good advice. Nobody can see everything, and listening to others’ advice is a core part of learning to adjust. There’s a reason every coach, no matter how great, has assistants helping him.

Nobody likes to be the bearer of bad news. It’s never fun to tell someone that they’re no longer a good fit, no matter the scenario. For elite coaches, the fallout from cutting a player from a team can be significant; it will often lead to a wave of questions from other members of the team and the wider media, and, more personally, it means dashing the player’s hopes and shattering his dreams. 

But sometimes it has to be done, for the greater good of the team. If a leader’s built a foundation of good communication, she’ll be able to maintain respect even when making unpopular changes.