tish647
- Nov 16, 2021
- 11 min read

"GOAT or Ass?"

Life Lessons Series: Six of One Dozen of the Other- "GOAT or Ass?"

Introduction

I have a tendency each night before I fall asleep to reflect on the day. I like to think about what went well and what I did to contribute to the positive outcome. I then like to think about what did not go well and again what I did to contribute. This is followed by most importantly what I would do differently in the future.

Over the years, I have thought a lot about the exceptional people in my career that helped when things went well. To me, these colleagues make up my trip (or group of) GOATs and what made them stand out. (See https://www.tdbadvisors.com/post/blog-series-life-lessons-six-of-one-dozen-of-the-other-1 for more on GOATs.)

I have learned equally as much from some of the worst bosses and colleagues I have had- most notably how not to behave and manage. I have had a lot of material to work with over the years and the learning lessons from which I have grown both personally and professionally seem to never end! I like to think of my bad colleagues as small horses- more commonly known as an ass. While these lessons were far more painful to endure, the value of the experience cannot go unmentioned. In retrospect what I wish I had learned sooner in nearly every situation was when to leave. In each bad colleague scenario, if I had a do over it would be to have left sooner and cut my losses!

The overriding Life Lessons in all this reflection are rooted in finding the traits, essential qualities and characteristics of what makes a Great Leader. Also looking at the journey taken by many successful leaders and their ability to overcome significant obstacles and failures along the way; one of the core competencies that makes them a Great Leader and gives us all hope that we too can achieve greatness. Finally, a self-reflection of the best and worst bosses and colleagues. Enjoy…I could not have made this stuff up!

(For anyone curious about this picture it is of a sign out in front of the Donkey Ball Store in Kona, Hawaii. If you have never been to Kona or the Donkey Balls Store you should absolutely go to both!)

Traits of a Great Leader

I think it is fair to say that Great Leaders come from all walks of life. I don’t believe there is a fated path to leadership for most individuals. While a few may have birthright entitlements that help in their journey as a “born leader,” in most cases Great Leaders weren’t even picked to be “Most Likely to Succeed” in high school! It is interesting to note that many of the Great Leaders in my path have overcome significant obstacles and failures along the way. For many, that’s what defines their leadership style, earns the respect of their colleagues and drives them. It is also what gives us all hope that we can still become a Great Leader.

I believe that Great Leaders follow three simple rules that set them apart:

They lead by example. Never are they a “do as I say not as I do” mentality. A great leader truly walks the walk.
They admit mistakes and learn from them. This to me is always one of the most impressive traits in an employee. They don’t deflect or refuse to accept that they were wrong. They own their behavior and see the mistake as a gift that they use to improve their performance in the future.
They see and celebrate qualities in others. It is never all about them. The most impressive leaders in my career path are not people who can necessarily sit down and do the work I do. Instead, they are people who are comfortable rolling up their sleeves and working in a team. They don’t sit in their ivory tower. They surround themselves with people that complement their skills and knowledge base to build a great team. They inspire the people around them to achieve greater heights. And when they get there, they celebrate it!

The 10 Essential Qualities of a Great Leader

I found it interesting to look at the underlying traits that are found in commonly accepted Great Leaders - both past and present. Most of the published lists had slightly varying items, with the core content being essentially the same. I found the Center for Creative Leadership’s (CCL) list to be among the more comprehensive https://www.ccl.org/articles/leading-effectively-articles/characteristics-good-leader/.

The CCL asserts that while successful leaders may exhibit these 10 leadership qualities to varying degrees, all good leaders leverage at least some of these characteristics. Take heart and know that you can strengthen any of these 10 characteristics of a good leader if you’re open to growth and you put in the time and effort towards self-improvement!

Integrity
Ability to Delegate
Communication
Self-awareness
Gratitude
Learning Agility
Influence
Empathy
Courage
Respect

A Sampling of 11 Successful Leaders…and Why?

I also thought it would be fun to look at commonly accepted Great Leaders - both past and present. My list in the closing is very specific to the journey I have taken professionally. I ran across a list of Successful Leaders published be The Resourceful Manager. https://www.resourcefulmanager.com/guides/successful-leaders/. The Resourceful Manager article asserts that this is not intended to be a list of the Greatest Leaders of all time. What makes this list interesting is that each is a successful leader in his or her own way. Also that at some point, each of these Successful Leaders were viewed as just ordinary by the people around them. Further support for the thought that with concerted effort we can all strengthen our leadership qualities and become Great!

1. Bill Gates

Authoritarian leadership style- not conducive to innovation.
The authoritarian style is very effective in fast-changing situations, where quick decisions are required. Much of Microsoft’s success can be attributed to Gates’ willingness to make decisions on the run.

2. Martin Luther King, Jr

Used a variety of styles to establish and lead a movement.
Was transformational, but he also could be authoritarian.
He was a coach and mentor.
Was foremost a practitioner of the art of Charisma leadership.

3. Winston Churchill

Relied on many styles.
Used words as weapons, and it’s said his many memorable utterings were more powerful than a thousand cannons!

4. Dolly Parton

Giving: Leaders give of themselves so others can succeed. That means you spend time coaching and developing your people. Pull them aside when they are “high-falutin’” and give them a shoulder to cry on when times are tough.
Forgiving: People make mistakes. If they acknowledge them and seek to make amends, move forward. Get over it. A leader cannot afford grudges; it rubs off negatively on others and drains energy from the team.
Loving: Apply this to your work. Have a passion for what you do; it will rub off on the entire team. A leader who enjoys his work and the people with whom he works is one that encourages people to follow his lead.

5. Walt Disney

Adopted many leadership styles over the years.
Built the beginnings of his empire based mostly on Participative leadership; a leadership style that values the input of team members and peers, though the ultimate responsibility of making the final decision rests with the leader.

6. Arianna Huffington

As she carefully crafted the Huffington Post, a national online political news and blogging site, she worked 18-hour days, 7 days a week.
In 2007 she literally collapsed from exhaustion.
Morphed into a national campaigner for work-LIFE balance.
Converted more to the Servant leadership style, where a positive corporate culture is built around integrity, generosity and group morale.

7. Colin Powell

Situational leadership; holds to no single style, but adapts as needed, as the situation requires.
Not everyone gets promoted, he says, because there simply isn’t that many slots at the top.
And for those who chose to work nonstop long hours, those he affectionately calls “busy bastards,” they need to prioritize better and get some rest.
“With some people you spend an evening: with others you invest it.” In other words, if you flock with eagles, you’ll learn to fly high.

8. Martha Stewart

Autocratic management style: meticulous and demanding.
It’s often said the Autocratic style works, until it fails…
Even more success might have awaited her if she had not relied so heavily on such a potentially damaging style.

9. Marc Russell Benioff (founder, chairman and CEO of Salesforce)

Genuine passion for his work.
His mission is so clear he trademarked it: “The End of Software.”

10. Teddy Roosevelt

Master at capturing a moment and using varying leadership styles.

11. Mary Kay Ash

In 1963, she retired from a home products company after being passed over for a promotion in favor of a man that she had trained.
Created a company for working women to make sure they are treated equally and promoted based on merit.
Believed it was important to reward the hard workers, so she gave away vacations, jewelry, and pink Cadillacs to her top performers.
Core principal was to act as if each person was wearing a sign around their neck that read “Make me feel important!”
Put forth a strong leadership mindset. She believed in herself and others.
Put the individual success of each member of her sales team first, and so, the success of her company soon followed.

Closing

A Great Leader is comfortable in their own skin. They lead by example, admit mistakes and celebrate others. A Great Leader faces challenges head on and achieves greater success as a result of their “growth experience.” There are varying degrees of core qualities found in Great Leaders. Really all good leaders leverage at least some of these commonly established core competencies. These qualities are ones that can be learned and developed. Looking at the journey taken by many successful leaders reveals an imperfect journey. A Great Leader emerges with their ability to overcome significant obstacles and failures along the way; one of the core competencies that makes them a Great Leader. So where does this take us?

I have taken all this and reflected upon the best and worst colleagues and bosses I have had in my own career path. The below table summarizes each GOAT or ASS I have found along the way. Once again, I could not have made this stuff up! Enjoy.

GOAT #1