The richness of leadership doesn't mean money although, in some experiences, leaders will reap financial rewards. Mother Teresa experienced richness within a vow of poverty.
I refer to RICHEST as an acronym.
R - relationships. Leaders connect with followers using many techniques. They communicate both verbally and non-verbally, model desired behaviors, listen, and respect subordinates. A leader who arrives late and leaves early cannot expect commitment from followers.
I - intent. Simon Sinek has discussed the value of 'why' to an organization. Intent implies both having a philosophy and a purpose. But we want leaders who model good intent not a nefarious or self-serving purpose.
C - commitment.
A leader with a lukewarm commitment to an organization, project, or people will find neither trust nor loyalty. Actions, not words demonstrate your engagement.
H - humility. Humility doesn't mean thinking less of yourself; it means thinking less about yourself. Humility helps effective leaders listen and share because they realize that they don't have all the answers.
E - enthusiasm. "Nothing great is accomplished without enthusiasm." Enthusiasm derives from the Greek 'en' and 'theos', literally in god. Leadership implies a certain zeal or fervor applied to work.
S - serving. Servant leadership is redundant. A leader who does not serve is not a leader at all. In Greenleaf's original Servant Leadership essay he discusses the foundations:
"The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants?"
T - thankfulness. We get back more than we give when we give more. Recently, when discussing the death of former player Andrew Smith, Brad Stevens remarked that coaches receive more from kids than they give. We need an attitude of gratitude. We have a lot for which to be thankful.
