Great leaders who are the servants of those they lead.

We often witness people of influence sitting atop their towers of steel and glass at the expense of everyone under their command, distant from what is happening on the ground. Imagine a general who leads his army from the front, giving courage to his troops and displaying that he is worthy to be followed. Imagine a CEO who takes the time out of his hectic schedule to cover a janitor's shift, scrubbing toilets, washing windows, and emptying the trash. Imagine one brave soul who puts his schoolyard reputation on the line by comforting and befriending the school scapegoat. And witness the flood of people who follow in his wake who otherwise would not have acted!

How many people would have followed you in doing the right thing had you stepped up to the plate and been a leader?

Good leaders are what the world needs. Leaders like these. Leaders who understand that the more power they hold, the more indebted to their followers they are. Too many people of influence use their power resentfully, failing to understand that the neglect of his followers does in fact unseat him from power, little by little. Good leaders understand that their followers make them who they are; they are nothing without the fine men and women who are under their command. Good leaders actively work to improve the lives of those under his command rather than command his followers to improve his own!

I'm going to print that out and post it on my wall, and say it's a Winston Churchill quote.

Nice sentiments, too bad the real world is nothing like it.

How do you know there aren't leaders like that? Or are you just saying we need the ones we do have?

i'll never join you!!!

The old truth is that the persons most deserving to be leaders don't want to be leaders - they are too smart for that. Only greedy, selfish, petty tinkerers really strive for such positions. Great leaders have been raised to that position by others, ordinary leaders have raised themselves up there.

The difference is made evident by the fact that great leaders are very willing to step down once the task is finished, while ordinary leaders will fight tooth and nail to remain there indefinitely, no matter if they are actually needed or not anymore.

I have no hidden agendas or implications. Of course there have been leaders like that. The world needs more of them.

What the world needs now
Is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now
Is love, sweet love
No, not just for some
But for every one

Lord, we don't need another mountain
There are mountains and hill sides enough to climb
There are oceans and rivers
Enough to cross enough to last
Till the end of time

What the world needs now
Is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now
Is love, sweet love
No, not just for some
But for every one

Lord, we don't need another meadow
There are cornfields and wheatfields enough to grow
There are sunbeams and moonbeams
Enough to shine, oh listen Lord
If you want to know

What the world needs now
Is love, sweet love
It's the only thing that there's just too little of
What the world needs now
Is love, sweet love
No, not just for some
Oh, but for every, every one

I'm watching a great leader pass on right now

A leader should be separated from the every day problems of life. It's impossible to focus on foreign policy, war, national security, financial policy, and the like when you're worrying about paying the bills and keeping up the yard work. A leader MUST be emotionally separated from the everyday problems of those he leads in order to make the best logical decisions that he can make. The reason a good general isn't on the front lines is because he CANNOT keep up a good battle plan while he's fighting for his life. No matter what Braveheart says. You need a leader to be able to look down on the whole picture at once and be able to make decisions that sacrifice a few for the benefit of the whole. As bad as it sounds, that's life. That's the only way a leader can be truly successful. And successful doesn't necessarily mean that your followers like you.

Now, in his personal life, a leader should definitely have the qualities you laid out. He should be caring and respectful, carry himself with dignity, and do what is right. If he does that in his personal life, it will carry through in his leadership and make him and even better leader.