Two of the qualities a good leader must have are kindness and empathy. I’m not talking namby-pamby pushover—an empathetic leader also wears steel-toe boots and holds people accountable. They are an equal part teacher and taskmaster, dreamer and disciplinarian. They mastered the “hard” skills of leadership—from strategic planning to managing meetings. But it’s unquestionably the “soft” people skills that help them win hearts and minds. To be an effective leader, you have to lead with your heart, not your head. You need to treat people as human beings first, employees second.
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Remember, learning how to be a better leader begins with learning how to be a better human being. Turns out it’s never too late to become an enlightened entrepreneur. The first step is a commitment to continual improvement. You must be willing at any moment to sacrifice what you are for what you can become.
Ken Goodfellow
Coach Ken Internationa