As the new legislative sessions start on the local, state, and national stages, this question becomes central. A good leader is less concerned with their own self promotion and political aspirations and more concerned with understanding their business, educating those making decisions, and exercising influence in those decisions. And most of all, good leaders holds themselves responsible for knowing their business, for leading that business/agency, and for ensuring those in positions of leadership and influence within and without understand the purpose, mission, and client. Keep in mind that I speak from the perspective of a 26 year career in a state agency.
Good leaders do understand the business they are leading at all levels. This includes understanding who is served, what the objectives are, and how to influence funders and decision makers when that organization is a public entity at the mercy of the voting public and legislature. Good leaders are committed to everyone’s promotion, not just their own next political move. Good leaders in public strive to ensure that those making the funding decisions actually understand the struggles, the clientele served, and the purpose of the agency. Good leaders investigate before making decisions and when they speak to funders like legislature, they speak raw truth, they ditch their egos, they educate, and they set aside their own political aspirations for good of the agency and the people (employees, public, and clientele) they serve.
Converting O2 and Beyond 