A leader needs to take the time away from the office to recharge his or her own batteries, in order to replenish those never ending energy supplies that are so critical to the team. A leader also needs to show that team that they can enjoy the fruit of their labors. They don't pussyfoot around. They assimilate data, discard any crap, then make a decision and get on with it. Thanks for indulging my need to communicate this message after having read your article in Fast Company, March 2001.
Leaders connect the dots.
Leaders take good thoughts and ideas from different people, whether those people are internal and external to their organizations, and bring those ideas and people together to form a greater whole. The best ideas or solutions are generated when people are connected that wouldn't have found each other without intervention. Additionally, leaders are a conduit for organizational information. They share information from one area to another to reinforce key messages and improve the effectiveness of the organization. Leaders clear the path.