Confident Leaders Don't Fake It

My View

Several years ago, a veteran superintendent lectured a group of aspiring school administrators about the qualities that make up the best leaders. He shared story after story about the difficult decisions superintendents face in the landscape of political undertones.

The seasoned superintendent told the educators they must enter the superintendency callused, with a sizable ego. He said a big ego is necessary because superintendents are questioned regularly and must unwaveringly make unpopular decisions that will be challenged by some or many. I watched as the attentive aspiring leaders nodded and took notes about his lesson on ego in leadership.

I recall thinking if he was right, then the superintendency must not be for the empathetic of heart like me. But my experiences have told me the best leaders are the empathetic and understanding leaders. I recall politely asking him after the presentation if he thought perhaps confidence was more important than ego in leadership.

He didn’t appreciate the critique or didn’t want to change his presentation slides because he didn’t acknowledge my perspective. Not surprisingly, I later learned he struggled to build relationships with colleagues and staff. With ease, he could make challenging decisions and stick to them. Little could shake his stance. But those who followed him did so based primarily on fear and intimidation.