Measure yourself against this…

One of the great mysteries of life is the way it seems great leaders have appeared precisely when they are needed.

Can you imagine anyone other than Abraham Lincoln navigating America through the Civil War? And where would democracy, Europe, and America be without the inspired leadership of Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt?

Holding a title, even if it’s CEO, doesn’t make one a leader, and part of what has confused many in Radio may actually be a lack of clear leadership, the kind provided in earlier times by a Gordon McLendon or Todd Storz.

Try measuring yourself against this definition of authentic leadership:

“Authentic leaders genuinely desire to serve others through their leadership. They are interested in empowering the people they lead to make a difference, more than they are interested in power, money or prestige for themselves. They lead with purpose, meaning and values. And their people relationships are extremely strong. They use their natural abilities, but they also recognize their shortcomings and work hard to overcome them. Others follow them because they know where they stand. When their principles are tested, they refuse to compromise. Dedicated to developing themselves, authentic leaders focus on a lifetime of personal growth.”

That’s Bill George of the Harvard Business Review, and measured against his criteria, many of our leaders fall short.

But why?

Is it simply that we live in an age of greed. Personal enrichment, at the cost of one’s employees, happens in every industry today; there is no longer shame in so acting. We need a new CEO model for our CEOs.

Our business, our country, yearns for authentic leaders, men and women who can inspire us with their selflessness, their sense of purpose and sacrifice, their vision of a future where workers and owners both prosper, and their dedication to uncompromising principles of fairness and humanity.

Who shall stand up and lead us?