What Does it Mean to Be a Savage Leader?
One of the questions I have been asked since publishing The Savage Leader is some variation of, “How did you come up with the title?”, “What does it mean to be a Savage Leader?”, or “Did you really mean to use the word ‘Savage’?” Savage Leaders share three core attributes.
Core Attribute #1: Possess a Burning Desire to Be Great
At the foundation, a Savage Leader is someone who has a desire to be great. Most people settle for getting better or being better, which to me are the steps on the path to being great. Greatness is aspirational and pushes each of us to elevate our goals and steepens the trajectory of our growth path.
It’s important to note that greatness is relative to each person. To me, there is no objective definition (or there shouldn’t be) of greatness. If you asked NFL quarterback Tom Brady at the start of his career what greatness would be, he might have said, “To the best quarterback of all time.” Some could argue that is fact and if you asked him now what greatness is, he might say, “To be the best athlete of all time.” Now that’s aspirational and inspirational! If you asked an entrepreneur, community activist, teacher, or parent about greatness, they would offer up a wide range of responses. Remember, greatness is an individual goal and endeavor for each of us.
Core Attribute #2: Willing to Be Introspective and Change
Just as important, a Savage Leader is courageous enough to take a raw and honest assessment of their personal values, beliefs, strengths, and areas of growth as well as self-limiting beliefs, doubts, and fears that could trip them up on their path to become a great leader.
Core Attribute #3: Willing to Put in the Hard Work
Finally, a Savage Leader is willing to put in the time and effort to grow and develop. The path to being great can be a winding path, full of many ups and downs and it requires effort to activate the desire to be great and introspection.
Some people have raised their eyebrows at the word as it could imply wild and unpolished. As a recovering marketer, I like the idea that the use of the word Savage is provocative. But I didn’t intend to imply that Savage Leaders are unsophisticated and raw. Rather, they seek greatness, are bold enough to look within themselves, and put in the work to be great.
Are you ready to take the first step to becoming a Savage Leader? If so, let’s get started!
I Want to Hear from You
To help surface and develop the most useful ideas, I want to hear from you. Tell me where you want to go deeper (with existing Savage Principles or new ones that need testing), what stories you want to hear, and if you have any questions as you continue on your journey to become a Savage Leader. Send your thoughts, ideas, and questions to thesavageleader@groupsixty.com.