Part of being a good leader is knowing the difference between when a bold move is required and when it’s best to stay the course. As the former head of the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Defense, and Texas A&M University, Robert Gates has long years of experience with both paths.
In A PASSION FOR LEADERSHIP, a manual for leaders of all kinds, Gates points to the usefulness of transparency as a tool during times of change.Gates says that, whenever possible, leaders must resist the temptation to act now and explain later.
Working in the highest, most clandestine levels of US government, transparency wasn’t always an option that was available to Gates. But whenever he could share information, he did. Transparency built comfort and trust with interested parties inside and outside of his organizations. And that trust became a valuable resource in the times when full transparency wasn’t possible.Look for full disclosure on how to lead reform in our Instaread on PASSION FOR LEADERSHIP.
