The World’s Best Boss

Posted on February 22, 2009 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.

The “best” kind of leader is someone who inspires, motivates, energizes and unites, while generating loyalty and producing sustainable results. In his article for Toastmaster magazine, Victor Parachin offers 10 guides on how to be that kind of leader: 


1. Give more than others give to you.
Regularly ask yourself…How can I give more to those around me? What can I do to lighten their load? Who can I mentor? How can I go the extra mile for someone else?

2. Combine optimism with perseverance.
Others who observe this balance in your leadership will not only feel inspired, but will be motivated to do the same.

3. See everyone as a diamond in the rough.
One of the most important things we need to understand is that everyone… everyone, is a diamond in the rough.

4. Express appreciation; accept responsibility.
Sadly, some leaders are quick to accept credit and even quicker to assign blame to someone else. The best leaders reverse this pattern.

5. Keep your ego in check.
Lead with a posture of humility. Joey Cheek won an Olympic gold medal for speed skating. Shortly afterward, he was asked what he learned from winning the gold. His answer is instructive: “I’ve seen the world and met amazing friends through my sport. But it’s not that big a deal. I mean, I skate around the ice in tights. What is important is what I do off the ice.”

6. Show sincere respect for the people around you.
Your daily words and simple actions show how much you truly value those around you.

7. Treat team members with respectful love.
Remember the importance of a personal touch.

8. Be a consistent source of inspiration.
Help those around you to expand, enlarge, grow and do more than they ever thought they could do.

9. Stress cooperation, not competition.
Knute Rockne, the famous American football coach, led his team to many victories by stressing cooperation among teammates versus competition.

10. Maintain your sense of humor.
No one enjoys being around someone who is rigid and unable to laugh or enjoy life. No matter how daunting or serious your work, do it with a sense of lightness, merriment and appropriate humor.