Short Thoughts on the Complexities of Being a Leader

<p>Sex is great, but have you ever led a team of people towards a shared goal?</p> <p>I write about leadership because I love it. It&rsquo;s in my DNA. I&rsquo;ve been doing it for a long time, and I&rsquo;ve helped others do it too. And what&rsquo;s not to love?</p> <p>You unlock potential. Smash goals. Overcome challenges. Grow as a person. Develop others. Achieve results. And if you&rsquo;re doing it right, you build something that matters more than you as an individual, and unleashes the power of those around you.</p> <p>But with all these positives, there are trade-offs and downsides that don&rsquo;t always get a lot of attention. Decisions are rarely simple. Situations are complex. People too.</p> <p>Some things you want to prepare for if you&rsquo;re a leader, or thinking of becoming one.</p> <h1>A Leadership Lesson From the Ancient Greeks (And Not From The Stoics)</h1> <p>The best decisions rarely sit on the extremes.</p> <p>Modern politics has made it seem like we must pick a side, and this trickles down into everything we do. But polarised people disregard each other. From this butting of heads stems a disdain that morphs into combat.</p> <p>As a leader, you want to sit as close to the middle as you can.</p> <p>Aristotle&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.pagecentertraining.psu.edu/public-relations-ethics/ethical-decision-making/yet-another-test-page/ethical-orientations-the-golden-mean/" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">called it</a>&nbsp;&lsquo;the golden mean&rsquo;. The idea simply means finding the point between two ends of a spectrum where both can be seen. Nothing to excess, nothing unconsidered.</p> <p>Think about courage. Too much is recklessness. Too little is cowardice. A leader should aim to be both bold enough to take the right risks, but smart enough to recognise when they&rsquo;re being careless.</p> <p><a href="https://medium.com/management-matters/short-thoughts-on-the-complexities-of-being-a-leader-617dc4f63383"><strong>Website</strong></a></p>