Leader Is More Than A Title

Effective leadership is a luminescent quality greatly aspired, but rarely acquired. 
Leadership is being a headlight; not a taillight. At the core of effective leadership 
is the tacit awareness of being focused on doing the right thing; as opposed to 
doing things right.  Leadership is constructive as opposed to destructive. It is the realization that issues are resolved through processes fraught with the 
unexpected. 



Leadership is directive, but not dictatorial. Yet through all adversity leadership maintains the resolve to advance toward the desired outcome. Leadership is giving out before giving up. Leadership is being aware when compromise becomes a necessity, the focus is kept on what’s needed as opposed to what’s desired. 

Leadership is about accountability, durability, responsibility, and most of all sensibility. Leadership recognizes nothing will work…..unless you do, and that the speed of the captain is the speed of the crew. Leadership is acknowledging that delegation of authority does not abdicate responsibility. 

Leadership does not allow the circumstances to determine the truth. Leadership trusts but verifies. Leadership is the ability to see things for what they are; as opposed to how they’re presented. Leadership is perceptive enough to realize sincerity isn’t always tantamount to the truth. 

Leadership pursues the facts; not the dictates of opinion. Leadership is cognizant of the strategy, but mindful of the tactics. Leadership is decisive yet considerate; tolerant but not permissive. 

Leadership is the awareness that all things legal; may not be right or just. 
Leadership is [more] focused on being respected, as opposed to being popular. 
Leadership builds bridges as opposed to walls. Leadership recognizes that reasonable men and reasonable women generally tend to reach the same 
conclusions. 

Leadership acknowledges that other points of view; aren’t always differences of purpose. Leadership as per Thomas Jefferson is the belief “that one person with courage is a majority.” Leadership is dedicated to the pursuit of excellence as opposed to the pursuit of perfection. Leadership does not allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good or necessary. 

Most of all effective leadership acknowledges in the words of Theodore Roosevelt that “it is the person in the arena who counts”. Leadership is not just a title!



Thomas Blair, Jr., LDO, ABOM
President Emeritus, Opticians Assoc. of Georgia
OAA 2K1 State Leader of the Year
December 2012