Page 98 - How to Create a Winning Organization

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USE THE MOST POWERFUL

FOUR-LETTER WORD

“I will not like you all the same, but I will love you all the same.”

t some point, later than I’d care to admit, it became clear
Ato me that the most productive model for good leadership is
a good parent. A coach, teacher, and leader, in my view, are all
basic variations of being a parent. And while parenting is the
most important job in the world, leadership isn’t far behind. I re-
vere the opportunity and obligation it confers, namely, the power
to change lives and make a difference. For me, leadership is a sa-
cred trust.
A leader in sports, business, or any other field of endeavor
should possess and provide the same qualities inherent in a good
parent: character, consistency, dependability, accountability,
knowledge, good judgment, selflessness, respect, courage, disci-
pline, fairness, and structure.
And while all these will make you a good leader, they will not
make you a great leader. For that, one additional quality—perhaps
the most important of all—is necessary. Although it may sound out
of place in the rough-and-tumble context of sports or corporate
competition, I believe you must have love in your heart for the peo-
ple under your leadership. I did.

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