Tremendous Tracey

   As a lifelong student—and teacher—of leadership, I’ve found that defining this incredible word is easier said than done. Leadership is one of the most studied, written-about, and aspired-to traits in all of human history. There are thousands of theories, models, and definitions floating around, from servant leadership to transformational leadership, from positional power to moral authority.

The phrase “A fish rots from the head down” is a blunt and timeless proverb that reminds us of a critical leadership truth: when an organization is in decline, the problem usually starts at the top—not with the staff, not with the systems, not with external conditions. The rot begins at the head.

While there's nothing wrong with caring about how we present ourselves, the ultimate goal should be to reflect values like respect, professionalism, and selflessness—not to demand attention or stand out for the sake of ego. For example, adhering to workplace standards or dressing appropriately for significant events shows an understanding of the larger context and respect for the group.

To be reasonable, you must be able to reason. Our ability to reason is what makes humans humane. And when we abdicate our frontal lobe cortex’s responsibility to interact as adults with others, we devolve into our reptilian brains. And nothing good happens in the Jurassic Park parts of our perceptions.