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By Christopher H. McKinney, Sr.
February 24, 2023
What Makes a Great Leader
From the beginning, we have been infatuated with leaders, from King David to King Arthur to King T’Challa. But what makes a leader great? What things make us want to follow the good ones to the end of the earth?
There is no single trait that defines a great leader. Qualities that distinguish great leaders are visionary, high integrity, courage, passion, caring, industrious, charismatic, decisive, strong-willed and resilient, to name a few.
Yet I think there is one description that is often left out, “steward” or “stewardship.” From my 30 years in military service and 5+ years since retirement, the best leaders I have experienced and observed were great stewards. But what does steward mean?
For the sake of this article, a steward is a person who exercises oversight for something or someone on behalf of the owner. Merriam-Webster defines it as one employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns (such as the supervision of servants, collection of rents and keeping of accounts) or one who actively directs affairs.
When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world. – John Muir
Steward Leadership
So, if stewardship is part of what makes a good leader, what exactly does a steward do in a leadership role?
Why Stewardship Matters
Why should stewardship matter to you and me? In the Harvard Business review article, “Whatever Happened to Corporate Stewardship?” Rick Wartzman wrote,
“In November 1956, Time magazine explored a phenomenon that went by various names: “capitalism with a conscience,” “enlightened conservatism,” “people’s capitalism” and, most popularly, “The New Conservatism.”
No matter which label one preferred, the basic concept was clear: Business leaders were demonstrating an ever-increasing willingness, in the words of the story, to “shoulder a host of new responsibilities” and “judge their actions, not only from the standpoint of profit and loss” in their financial results “but of profit and loss to the community.”
Focus on the greater community is a hallmark of a steward. They focus on more than just the bottom line. There are three primary reasons why stewardship matters.
We must strive to become good ancestors. – Ralph Nader
One impactful leader during my 30-year military career, Major General Stephen Jost, once said, “I am the steward of the office of the Wing Commander.” He then explained his words, and from that day forward, the concept was seared into my mind. From my experience, leaders who embrace stewardship leave our communities better. I hope you choose to embrace it as well.
Author: Christopher McKinney is CEO of 10X Leadership Consulting. 10XLC is a consulting company that identifies/diagnoses impediments to the development/growth of organizations. Chris also served as CEO of a Regional Planning District (COG) supporting 12 cities/towns in South Carolina. He also retired from the USAF after 30 years as a Command Chief Master Sergeant overseeing an 8,500-person workforce and welfare of 31,000+ families/retirees. Email:[email protected]; Twitter: @10XLC; LinkedIn: christopher-h-mckinney-sr @10XLC; www.10XLC.consulting
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