Within the last lie that Buckingham cites, that leadership would be “a thing”, the idea of a general set of qualities of a leader is questioned. The reality shows that there are different types of good leaders. Each type reflects different capacities and strengths and yet they have all proved very successful in what they do. It would not be so much about having the set of qualities that we automatically link to good leadership such as authenticity, communication, a strong vision, being inspiring, … and so on. Because in that conviction, leadership would become a lot easier, since your good leadership could then simply be learned by implementing some basic principles. Moreover, it is also the case that not all respected leaders display every characteristic of “the essential leadership qualities – list”.
What all leaders have in common, is having followers. Think back to lie # 1. We follow leaders who allow us to encounter a mission, a set of values in which we believe. They delve into the mindset of their followers and claim what is important to them. So that they continue to challenge everyone to become more efficient.
