The Leader's Responsibility

As leaders, we hold great power. And with that power comes tremendous responsibility.

The above video is well worth your time today.

A father serving his country finally comes home after a year of deployment to surprise his young son — and the boy’s reaction has some key lessons for us.

What this young man is teaching us from his response is the remarkable influence dads can have on their kids — and the amazing power of connectivity.

Parenting and leading are in many ways the same. When we can connect with care, honesty and devotion through unselfish love and through teaching the lessons we’ve learned over the years, we can create a powerful and long-lasting bond with family and team members alike.

It’s easy to dismiss this as simply blood-related, but caring, guiding, developing and teaching really have nothing to do with familial ties. Being sincere each day will commonly lead to this same reaction amongst our team members.

As leaders, we hold great power. And with that power comes tremendous responsibility.

When we follow 10 principles, developed by best-selling author Mel Parker, we, too, can create a similar connection to that between the father and son:

  1. Leadership is Learning

  2. Build Trust by Leading with Authenticity

  3. Courageous Leadership: Dare to Dream and Dare to Fail!

  4. Leadership is Relationships: Develop Real Relationships

  5. Be a Great Listener

  6. Own Your Power: No Excuses!

  7. Embrace Humility

  8. Believe in Something

  9. Be Strong, Fit, and Confident

  10. Be Enthusiastic and Optimistic

None of these 10 principles are revolutionary. But while we may know their importance, it’s the combination of acting on these every day that will allow us to create that incredible truth-based relationship.

As leaders, we’d be wise to remember this before we start our day — and not lose sight of the fact that we, too, can have an impact on everyone we encounter.