Great Thinkers: What Makes a Good Leader?

Introduction

There’s no shortage of resources on how to improve your leadership skills—there are books, articles, magazines, podcasts, workshops, trainings, coaching sessions, and more. But what makes a skill a leadership skill? More specifically, what qualities make someone a good leader? In this article, we’ll examine what Great Thinkers have to say about this subject to give you a better idea of how you can plan your journey to becoming a better leader.

Plato: The Ideal Leader Is an Expert

In The Republic, the Greek philosopher Plato argues that the key trait of a good leader is expertise, or technical knowledge in your field. He explains that while personal charisma or raw ambition are useful for getting people to follow you, they can’t tell you how to actually use the power you obtain. Only expertise is capable of guiding you to make the right decisions—and bringing the people around you along. Therefore, it’s the most important trait a leader can have.

Because Plato discusses politics and morality in The Republic, he talks about expertise in terms of obtaining philosophical knowledge. However, each organization demands a different, specific kind of knowledge. To put Plato’s recommendation into practice, you should learn as much as you can about what the people under you do and how they do it. This will help you identify what your organization needs and how you can improve it. For example, John manages carpenters and is a carpentry expert. His background helps him identify areas where his employees can work more efficiently, saving the business time and money.

Confucius: The Ideal Leader Is Trustworthy

While Plato and Nietzsche focus on the technical aspects of leadership, the Chinese philosopher Confucius emphasizes the social elements. Specifically, his Analects discuss how a good leader must be honest and open to both the people below and above them. Confucius explains that good leadership is built on a foundation of trust. Trust creates a stable environment where your organization can run smoothly. When people trust you, they’re more willing to follow orders, be realistic about their capabilities, own up to their mistakes, and speak their minds. This prevents resentment or other hidden issues from building up until they become disastrous.

To build trust as a leader, Confucius recommends setting an example of honesty with the people below and above you. Tell the truth, speak your mind, and own up to your own mistakes. This encourages others to do the same instead of worrying about being punished or shut down for their mistakes and opinions.

Goodwin: The Ideal Leader Is a Mediator

When the people under you disagree with your decisions, trust and honesty will only get you so far. At that point, you need to mediate these conflicts to keep everyone working together toward one unified goal. American historian Doris Kearns Goodwin (Team of Rivals) explores the importance of mediation skills through the lens of Abraham Lincoln’s presidency. She explains how Lincoln brought several of his biggest rivals into his cabinet, won them over, and got them to work together.

Kearns explains that to mediate this group, Lincoln focused on building personal relationships with each of his cabinet secretaries. He also took care to avoid bruising anyone’s ego and didn’t take any slights personally. This kept professional disagreements from escalating further into personal grudges or contempt. Lincoln also took care to accept his share of blame when things went poorly and acknowledge those around him for their part in any successes. This also helped to prevent grudges and made everyone feel like they were part of a team.

While you may not have a country to run or a team full of political rivals under you, these lessons can still apply. Don’t let your emotions control you when managing obstacles or conflicts within your organization. And most importantly, treat everyone under you with compassion and respect, building personal rapport with them.

Nietzsche: The Ideal Leader Is Visionary

While Confucius and Kearns cover the power of a group working together, our next Great Thinker prefers a leadership style based on radical individualism. In Thus Spoke Zarathustra, German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche argues that an ideal leader rejects conventional wisdom and follows their own beliefs. According to Nietzsche, conventional wisdom leads to mediocrity. Ideas become conventional wisdom in the first place because a majority of people buy into them—a large group of collectively average people, as opposed to a smaller number of exceptional thinkers.

Nietzsche believes that leaders must pursue their unique ideas instead of holding themselves back through conventional wisdom. To do this yourself, consider areas where your organization does things “because that’s how they’re done,” and ask yourself if there’s a better way. For example, many tech startups found success by rejecting standard industry models in favor of new online and digital ones. By rejecting conventional wisdom, these companies revolutionized their fields.

Great Thinkers’ Advice on Leadership

• Plato (The Republic): Become an expert. When you understand your field inside and out on a technical level, you’ll make better-informed decisions.
• Confucius (Analects): Show that you’re trustworthy. When the people under you trust you, they’ll believe in your vision and want to do what you say. They’ll also be more open about the state of your organization.
• Doris Kearns Goodwin (Team of Rivals): Learn to mediate conflict. This helps you ensure that the people under you work together harmoniously toward your common goal.
• Friedrich Nietzsche (Thus Spoke Zarathustra): Be confident in your vision and willing to follow it. Defying conventional wisdom on how things should be done sets you apart from everyone else—it’s what makes you a leader.

What Do You Think?

What do you think is the most important trait a leader can have? What’s your best trait as a leader and why? Which other leadership skills would you like to improve on, and how can you get started?