Leaders Play the Long Game

"Responsibility is much more than acting the part of a drill sergeant. Rather, it concerns how you address complex challenges, and ensure that they do not overwhelm you and your organization. It's about acting from the perspective of tomorrow and the next day-that is, not just accepting the status quo. The responsible leader is a change agent ensuring that the people they work with can perform optimally (where the leader sets the example)."

"Ethics matter in leadership, if only because people are always watching; somebody somewhere sometime will finally have the goods. So, it's important to ensure that your organization is on an ethically sound footing. It's easier to avoid mistakes than to clean up after them. It may seem easier to act as though nothing is wrong, but that's shortsighted. It never works in the long run."

Leadership develops gradually and requires ongoing learning and humility; leaders will sometimes encounter people with greater knowledge and should not be embarrassed. Effective leaders are adaptable and willing to change course as circumstances evolve. Responsibility extends beyond issuing orders to addressing complex challenges and preventing organizational overwhelm. Responsible leaders act as change agents, set examples, and enable others to perform optimally. Ethics and transparency are essential because stakeholders observe behavior and errors compound; leaders should own mistakes, acknowledge headwinds, and take defensive and corrective actions. Leaders must pair outward-facing attention with introspection, reconciling personal habits and regrets before public leadership.

Read at Psychology Today