Mike Cruz
- Jan 23
- 2 min read

True Leadership. Harness The Power of Five.

Article Coaching Questions Leadership Poll Suggested Readings Get Coached

"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent."

Douglas MacArthur

Douglas MacArthur's view of a true leader focuses on five key traits -courageous decision-making, compassionate inclusiveness, integrity in intent, fairness in action, and low self-orientation.

The integrity of intent is the touchstone from which the leader can draw strength. True leaders base their courage on the conviction and clarity of their values, vision, purpose, and long-term goals. Making tough decisions becomes easy when there is excellent clarity.

Leaders need to be aware of how they come across in their emotional spectrum. Are you being seen as

Apathetic - 'I don't care'

Sympathetic - 'I acknowledge your pain'

Empathetic - ' I understand and share in your feelings.'

Compassionate - 'I care about your well-being and am here to help you.'

Compassion and clarity of values and vision help leaders treat everyone equally and take actions that are fair to every person and situation.

Finally, true leaders focus on having a very low self-orientation. They take care of the needs of their organization, team, and stakeholders, and their actions are determined by what is required to make others successful and less by their personal desires.

Harness the power of these five traits to be a true leader.

Do a quick check: do you have these five traits that can power you to be a true leader?

Coaching Questions:

How do you ensure the integrity of your leadership intent guides your decisions?
How do you cultivate clarity of values, vision, and purpose for courageous decision-making?

Leadership Poll:

Which areas do you want to focus in your true leadership journey?