Since Sound Publishing, and this newspaper as a part of it, began a partnership with Leadership Eastside in recent months, I have been wondering what, exactly, makes a person a leader?
The Presidential primaries happening across the country have helped keep that question toward the top of my mind, too. It’s probably the campaigning, in fact, that made me realize I don’t have a positive definition of a leader. My definition is mostly negative, a list of things that a leader wouldn’t do: lie, cheat, steal, condescend, bluster, and so on.
It bothers me that I’m starting to see leaders in this “well, they’re not as bad as the other guys” way, so I am now working on a more positive definition for leaders.
The Snoqualmie Valley Community Network says anyone in the Valley with an interest in making this a healthier community is a leader and thus, welcome at its Key Leaders Summit each summer. I think for that purpose, it’s a great definition of a leader so that’s where I’ll start.
A leader is interested in, and part of the community that he or she proposes to lead.
The North Bend Planning Commission has helped me with my definition, too. The group has been debating the future of truck stops in North Bend and actually, the future of the city in general through the comprehensive plan update. Commission chairperson Gary Fancher told me about their process for planning the city’s future, pulling data from many sources to get the larger picture of where the city is now, so they could chart a path to where it could go.
A leader is well informed, and aware that there are always things he or she could still learn.
Then there’s the group of pilots I recently met in Snoqualmie. They really impressed me as being nothing like the glamorous images that today represents the World War II era. Not swaggering hotshot fly boys, these guys were humble, honest and wise. They were also quiet. It took some effort to get them talking, not good in an interview subject, but a great quality in a leader or role model.
A leader speaks up when he or she has something to contribute.
There are probably many more positive qualities to find in our leaders. I plan to keep seeking them out.
