They can't take things personally. They exhibit calm in calamity and grace under pressure. Good leaders must provide the adult supervision that organizations require. But great leaders also retain the innocence and wonder of children. They delight in the unexpected and see the world not as a thing to be conquered but as a journey to be enjoyed.
Good leaders stay in touch with their inner child.
If leaders come to understand that their roles are confounding because life is made up of opposites that create tension, they can confront their roles more realistically. And if they come to understand that these apparent contradictions also create balance, then they can embrace the task of leading with a sense of possibility and joy. Paul D. Houston is executive director, American Association of School Administrators, Arlington, Virginia.