What Does A Leader Do?

Robert S. Kaplan, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, discusses the qualities of effective leadership and identifies some of the questions that every leadership should regularly ask themselves.

According to Kaplan, “If you’re the most charming, the smartest, the most charismatic, you may not necessarily become the best leader.” Effective leadership ultimately boils down to what you you believe and are capable of doing as a leader. He highlights the importance of being open and receptive to feedback, being willing to learn and follow through on your beliefs, trusting others to the jobs that you delegate, and of having a vision about how you can add the most value by setting priorities and allocating time to those priorities.
Leadership must be learned. While talent can help you do these things, “but only if you are open to learning and avoid being isolated.”