A conversation with a local leader last week left me thinking about a question we don’t ask nearly enough: What actually makes someone a successful leader?
We tend to know how to answer that question. Growth. Revenue. Fundraising. Community impact. A thriving organization. A strategic plan on track. A board that’s happy and stakeholders who can see the results.
And don’t get me wrong. Those things matter. Organizations need leaders who can move important work forward. But I’ve been wondering whether we’ve allowed the most visible measurements of success to become the only ones that count.
Imagine a leader whose organization has exceeded every goal. The board is thrilled. They’re admired for their drive, celebrated for their sacrifice and applauded for how much they can juggle.
Meanwhile, their spouse feels like an afterthought. Their children have learned that “just one more email” rarely means one. Close friendships have faded. A nagging health issue keeps getting pushed to next month.