Max DePree is my favorite author on Leadership. His book Leadership is an Art has shaped who I am as a leader and I revisit it periodically. The ideas are simple but profound. As he defines leadership he states "The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor. That sums up the progress of an artful leader."
Serving others is a key concept that leaders need to keep in focus. A leader needs to be willing to provide the support to others to help them be successful. That can mean sitting down and helping someone problem solve a situation or simply listening as someone talks through a challenge they are facing. A leader doesn't need to solve every problem on their own but needs to support the people they work with so they can develop effective solutions.
For anyone in any type of leadership role, I highly recommend DePree's book. It will help shape your thoughts and approach.
This is my first blog post. Over time I will share thoughts, stories and tidbits on leadership, particularly focused on the field of education. Please share your feedback so I can continue to learn and grow.
