Which leaders do you remember?

This quote reminds me of the great leaders I have come across in my career.

Those leaders who have:

· remembered who I am and who have seemed genuinely interested in my life

· encouraged me to be brave, grasp opportunities and take risks, without fear of failure

· made me feel valued

· recognised and appreciated my contributions to the team

· supported me to achieve more

· listened to what I have had to say

· shown compassion for myself and others in all they do

I think it is sometimes easy to confuse compassionate leadership with weak leadership, and that if you’re compassionate then somehow this makes you vulnerable, but in my experience the leaders who have led with compassion are the ones who have taken their team along with them.

I coach leaders in education and many of the conversations I have are about creating teams, building relationships and gaining trust and one way to do this is by taking the time and effort to really connect and know the team. These are the leaders who will be the most remembered and the most successful.

What reminds you of great leadership?