good leader

Good Leaders Lead by Example

The Great Leadership Debate: Nature or Nurture?

Are leaders born, or are they made? In my world, shaped by the winds of the Royal Navy and the whirls of storytelling, I’ve come to believe it’s a bit of both. But here’s the thing: having leadership qualities doesn’t automatically mean you’re a good leader. It’s more complex than that.

The Rarity of Good Leadership

My time in the Royal Navy gave me a unique vantage point to observe leadership in various forms. I even found love in this setting (check out my post about this forbidden romance). I’ve been lucky enough to have dabbled in leadership roles, from the Army Cadets to naval training, both of which shaped my understanding of what effective leadership entails.

I’ve encountered numerous leaders throughout my career, but only a handful impressed me as truly good leaders. My husband, Jez, is undoubtedly one of them! The traits that made these few stand out are the qualities I’ve woven into the characters of my Deniable Unit series. You can’t exactly have crappy leaders running a militaristic spy unit.

Characteristics of a Good Leader: Adam Dekker’s Example

Adam Dekker

So, what sets apart a meh leader from the good ones? It’s the wee things, the daily grind stuff. Take Adam Dekker, the hero of Running the Asset. He’s not your average shouty commander.

Adam exemplifies firmness balanced with fairness, decisive action coupled with open-mindedness, and an unwavering respect for his team’s skills and suggestions. He never asks his guys to do anything that he wouldn’t be willing to do himself.

But here’s what really counts – he owns up to his mistakes. In a world where passing the buck is the norm, taking responsibility is a rare and admirable trait. Adam’s loyalty isn’t just a word in his dictionary; it’s his guiding principle.

good leader, happy team
Adam and some of the guys from his Deniable Unit team

Share Your Leadership Insights

What about you? Have you met leaders who left a mark on you? Or maybe you’ve been in those shoes, making tough calls and standing by your team. I’d love to hear your stories of leadership, the good, the bad, and the inspiring. Drop your thoughts in the comments.

Till next time, stay awesome,

Susan x

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What makes a good leader?
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About Me

Hi! I’m Scottish author Susan Tippett Braithwaite. I craft romantic suspense stories featuring Sex, Lies, Scots & Spies where danger and desire meet with explosive results.

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12 responses to “Good Leaders Lead by Example

  1. Stefanie Neumann Avatar

    Leading by example… we had the same idea again. ?
    (My post about that was written, yesterday, and will be posted in about 2,5 hours.)

    1. Susan T. Braithwaite Avatar

      Cool! Oh, how did you know what the prompt was the day before? Is there a list? I have to wait until I see the prompt that morning.

      1. Stefanie Neumann Avatar

        I toggled to the next prompt via the arrow next to it on my dashboard.

      2. Susan T. Braithwaite Avatar

        Och, c’mon! I just checked it ???? I’ve been waiting for the email to come in… A ken better fur next year, en. ? Thanks for letting me know ?

      3. Stefanie Neumann Avatar

        Dinnae fesh yersel. It ay teuck me awhile tae git it.

        (I see you understood my first explanation where I left out half of the words.)

      4. Stefanie Neumann Avatar

        Okay, I realise that my reply does not make much sense… (I’m just too tired, these days.)
        On the WordPress dashboard are arrows left and right to the daily prompt. With those, you can toggle to following or previous prompts.

      5. Susan T. Braithwaite Avatar

        No, no. Your reply made perfect sense. I was able to see where it was. I’m just an eejit that had no idea that the rest were there. I hope you’re able to catch up on your rest ?

      6. Stefanie Neumann Avatar

        Ye’re mony things, ye’re nae eejit, but. <3
        (Proof being that you could make sense of my nonsense.)

  2. Kevin Avatar

    Firm but fair. That’s what an old colleague of mine used to say all the time. Care about your team, listen to them, and don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. Great post!

    1. Susan T. Braithwaite Avatar

      Thanks, Kevin. Your colleague knew how to run a team right!

      1. Kevin Avatar

        He truly does. He was one of the best I worked both for, and with.

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