How to Lead

If we think of modern leaders, an incredible variety of people come to mind: there are as many different types of leadership as there are sectors to which they apply. From fields involving ideas and innovation, to those of political and military power, as well as those regarding rules, thought, and even sport, the definition of leader can differ greatly. What does not seem to change, however, is the range of qualities that the vast majority of the prominent personalities of our time seem to have in common: rather than something that is immediately recognisable, it is more a case of an underlying situation, which the author has managed to give form to, thanks to the numerous interviews he has had the opportunity to conduct over the years with a wide range of leaders. With each conversation, certain recurring factors began to stand out in the stories of the people he interviewed, giving shape to a well-defined pattern of qualities, behaviours, and disciplines. Specifically, some of the factors that contribute to forming a true leader are:

1. luck;
2. the ability to react positively to failure;
3. a combination of ambition and tenacity;
4. hard work and passion;
5. the willingness and ability to never stop learning;
6. listening, humility, and recognising the value of others;
7. a desire to improve the world.

Not all great leaders possess each and every one of these characteristics, however many of them go hand in hand with each other, combining to form a network of lowest common denominators, and resulting in the subsequent formation of an ideal leader.