Some of that is to be expected, but good leaders also know when to step back and apply common sense to an issue. Good leaders respect the individual. All too often, leaders get caught up in group politics and forget that the foundation of our government is to protect individual, not collective, rights. Good leaders know when to hold and when to fold. No leader ever gets his own way on everything.
Some issues are worth fighting for, while others fall low on the list of priorities.
A good leader will pick and choose his battles carefully. Leadership is proactive, not just reactive. Good leaders can spot issues before they come to the surface. They may not be able to solve those problems in advance, but at least they get the dialogue going early in the process. Mike Buffington is editor of The Jackson Herald.