What makes a good leader? A personal look back

The writer, who has worked with many public service agencies, makes a case for moral leadership.

- Yeo Whee Jim

"We hate you," she asserted bluntly. In my early 30s and barely a year into my first director-level role, I was in the thick of staff appraisal conversations with my middle managers when this member of my team offered a no-filter assessment. I had been emboldened by the seemingly rave reviews I was getting, and had decided to solicit honest feedback on my leadership style from the rest of my team.

I froze when I heard her words — I really wasn't expecting that — and tried to recover with a snarky remark. But the words didn't come. I searched her eyes, looking for a flicker of doubt or hesitation, but found only a cold resentment and steely confidence that left me reeling for days after.

I gave myself time and space to process the painful experience. Her core message was right: I could have better implemented the changes at work, including how I communicated to the team. That lesson taught me to cherish and protect those precious officers who could be relied upon to tell the truth, be it through informal interactions or an employee engagement survey.

This story comes back to me as I reflect on my decades working in public service leadership roles and consulting with the public service departments of other countries when I ran my own business.

What makes a truly great leader? We all know it's less about book-smarts and more about relationships with people. Yet at the same time, leadership is not a popularity contest either.

TOUGH LOVE IN THE OFFICE