Taking in Strays: Leadership Lessons from Unexpected Places

The bottom line in our stories is fairly direct: to lead well, you have to think about your followers first. The best leaders see the world through the eyes of their charges. It can't be about you or your behavior as much as it is about creating a way to meet their needs while accomplishing the vision and mission of the organization. It's going to take balance.

That doesn't mean you do whatever they want you to do, of course. You wouldn't feed your pets rotten dog food or make them stay out in the cold or rain or heat without shelter, even if they thought that's what they wanted. Maybe they don't know any better. It means you take care of them even when that means righting the ship by letting someone go because, if you don't, the ship sinks.

For me, this means to live in the Truth, to be a friend first, and to serve graciously. Create your own values statement; build your own foundation first. Find your inspiration that can be your guiding light. Then build strong, consistent foundations for your folks to stand upon, and let them go to see what they can accomplish!