Exceptional Leadership

Leadership is not about being brave.

Leadership is not about being a visionary.

Leadership is not about working the hardest.

Leadership is not about being a nice, sweet person.

Let's test each one using Falsificationism, a scientific principle created by philosopher Karl Popper. It states that a claim can only be considered true if it cannot be proven false. 

Can a leader be brave but still be a poor leader? Yes. History is full of brave leaders we would never want to follow.

Can a leader be a visionary but still be a poor leader? Yes. Many visionaries throughout history were driven by evil desires.

Can a leader work the hardest but still be a poor leader? Yes. A leader can work 100 hours a week and still inspire no vision, faith or love in their followers.

Can a leader be nice and sweet but still be a poor leader? Yes. A leader who is liked by everyone but unable to make difficult decisions or inspire real growth is not leading anyone anywhere.

But let's ask this question:

Can a leader who successfully guides his followers towards their own personal goals be a poor leader? 

No.

That doesn't make sense.

The most important quality of an exceptional leader is the ability to successfully lead others towards what they want. 

And this is not as easy as it sounds.

Some people don't know what they want.

Some need an extra push to pursue it.

Sometimes a leader needs to use every tool available to lead their followers effectively - even if it seems extreme from the outside.

This is not just about corporations, businesses or the military.

This is leadership as a philosophy.

The ability to lead others successfully towards what they want is the fundamental basis of exceptional leadership.

And in order to lead others successfully you need to lead yourself successfully first.