Of the many emails I get, one that really challenges me is "Breakfast with Fred" by Fred Smith, Sr. (Not to be confused with Fred Smith from Fed-Ex.)  I'd like to take this time to share with you an email I received this week:

One of the most interesting studies on maturity in leaders was done by Harvard University in the 1960's. It reported these common denominators:

1. Mature leaders verbalize negative feelings objectively without taking destructive action. Immature leaders often try to hide their feelings and strike out or back.

2. Mature leaders anticipate, creating the ability to develop options, and not be surprised. Strong leaders dislike surprises which causes them to hurried action or disastrous delays.

3. Mature leaders are altruistic. Good leaders don't expect something for nothing. I like the word, 'mutuality', for no relationships can be healthy that aren't mutually beneficial.

4. Mature leaders have a sense of humor. To me, this means not taking yourself too seriously.  I have never known a humorless person who wasn't arrogant. It really is about control. When you can't laugh, it is usually because you can't control the situation. The pompous fear humor- it is a pin in a balloon factory. I think you have a choice- you can laugh or have high blood pressure.

I would like to add a few of my own:

As Collin's mentions in his book, Good to Great, a mature leader is a Level 5 leader who exhibits humility, passion and determination. 

A mature leader is one who:

• Knows 'it all goes back in the box' when life is all said and done.

• Makes the important more important than the urgent.

I know there are many more ideas of what constitutes a mature leader. If you have one in mind, would you mind sharing with me and others?

rb