Leading So People Will Follow

Balancing the First Three Attributes

The quality of wisdom balances the forward motion of farsightedness, passion, and courage. Wisdom is the ability to reflect and understand, grow from that understanding, and share the insight that arises out of that reflection and growth. It is the process of consciously learning from one’s experience and offering that learning for the benefit of others and the enterprise. Wisdom requires time and thought, curiosity and objectivity, logic and intuition. It requires a clear moral compass unhindered by self-righteousness.

First and foremost, the wise leader is deeply curious. She wants to understand—to see how things are wired together, to trace the connections among objects, events, ideas, and people. She’s ...