How to Be a Good Leader When You've Never had One

3The Six Traits of “Great” Leaders Who Aren't Good Leaders

Great business minds often make for terrible leadership. This is because the fundamental joint activities of business success are marketing and sales—that is, persuading and winning, convincing and converting. The best in the business—in any business—are master marketers and salespeople.

You know that silly challenge to “sell me this pen”? These guys and gals can actually pull that off; you want to buy the pen when they're done. Now it's your pen.

But all life is trade‐offs. There are pros for every con and vice versa. The thing about good persuasion is that you know how to semi‐ethically exaggerate the benefits of a product while downplaying known disadvantages, downsides, or doubts. So long as you can offer convinced customers technical support should your hyperbolic pitch for your product not pan out—so long as you make good on any overpromising to people who buy from you so they leave satisfied—this is all strength.

There is an obvious concern with overpromising and underdelivering, of course. And that is exactly what many of the world's best businesspeople do when they become business leaders. They sell themselves on their exaggerated people‐building and team‐managing abilities. They market themselves on traits they don't really have that would qualify them for the job. It's not good for anyone; least of all the business leader.

You may have a great businessperson who, upon accepting the responsibility to lead ...