To be a great leader, hold steadfast in your beliefs.

I strive to be the best leader I can be. I work hard every day to lead my company as ethically as possible while trying to maintain a balanced workplace for my people, manage growth, and keep our finances above the negative line. But many leaders of big organizations manage their reputations and relationships while lining their own pockets! Maybe some leaders of small companies do this as well, but the business leaders I know work very hard to stay above water, care about their employees and clients, and do what they believe is right. I am working to build a business that is sustainable, a company that will exist long after my ashes are scattered. I am always thinking about the next step, the next goal, for the future of the company and our community. But, I have a pretty small company in comparison to many.

I am not sure when or how top leaders grow out of the understanding of what their customers really wants and what their employees expect. What is that line that bosses cross from empathy to selfishness?

I believe that values are the key to success in any organization, and how strong these beliefs are threaded in the company will make the difference in the sustainability of the business. If we think about the characteristics of truly successful leaders, they are the ones who fought for the value systems in their organizations, regardless of what was happening around them.

Successful leaders are persistent and determined. They set goals high and provide the support required for their people to achieve these goals. The best leaders believe in the future generations and what they bring to the table. The next generation will be more educated, more in touch with the world’s needs, more connected, and so much more technologically savvy that they will be capable of solving problems at lightning speed.

The great leaders of today can see these qualities in the next generation, and are helping to mentor these future leaders so that they too believe in something. Not everyone will be a leader, and nor should everyone strive for that. We need all kinds of people to work in various roles, and certainly nothing would get done if everyone delegated!

But every employee and every leader needs something to believe in. A vision, a mission, a cause, or a value system is crucial in every workplace and organization. And there must be someone at the helm; a leader holding steadfast in the belief system of the organization, no matter how turbulent the surrounding environment may become.