"The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between the two, the leader must become a servant and a debtor. That sums up the progress of an artful leader." ― Max DePree
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From the book Leadership Is an Art, Max DePree beautifully sums up the three phases of leadership, from power to stewardship.
First, you need to define reality. Before a leader can inspire or direct, they must provide clarity. This is oftentimes the most challenging part of the job because it requires confronting uncomfortable truths.
Then, in the day-to-day operations of a leader, it flips the traditional hierarchy upside down, making the leader the servant and debtor.
And at the end, it is about recognizing that results are rarely the work of one person.