There are countless books on leadership, thousands of podcasts streaming, and blog posts published every day. Yet, when I sift through all this information, the advice often boils down to the same common-sense principles.
And yet, good leaders remain rare. It’s a struggle to find someone truly capable to fill a leadership role. You don’t need to look far—just glance around your own organisation or political party. Too often, we settle for the lesser of two evils, and sometimes, that’s the best we can do.
So why isn’t all this material on leadership making more of a difference?
Because true leadership isn’t about ticking boxes or following a manual—it’s about character. Character is built through the choices we make, the people we care for and protect, the courage we summon in difficult moments, the integrity we uphold when it’s tested, and the selfless sacrifices we make to help our teams succeed.
And character takes years to shape. Perhaps the solution lies not in more books or courses, but in investing in our kids. By helping them develop strong character, we can prepare them to fill the vast leadership void that exists today. The future of leadership starts there.
