Where have all the small business leaders gone?

In Lee Iacocca's new book, "Where Have All The Leaders Gone?" Iacocca questions much of what is going on in the USA today. He explores everything from the war in Iraq to childhood obesity and wonders if we have any leaders today capable of continuing America's greatness. His insights are eye-opening and downright scary. I hope his book becomes required reading in every high school because it is not only a synopsis of everything wrong with our country today but good ideas on how to reverse the current trend of higher waistlines and lower math & science scores.

Anyway, I tried to relate much of Iacocca's thoughts into my own business and asked myself, "Am I a good leader?"

Well, I guess you'd have to ask my employees, but here's what I believe makes a good leader. A good leader:

1) Does not try to solve every problem but rather teaches others to solve their own. This takes time and practice.
2) Truly loves his/her employees and they know it. If a guy came into the business and started shooting, the leader would take a bullet for an employee. They know this too.
3) Keep his ego in in back pocket. If you have to tell someone you're a leader, you're not.
4) Is one of them. A good leader will not ask something of an employee that he would not do on his own. They know this too. The kick is that, if the good leader in empowering effectively, he will rarely have to do these things.
5) Focuses on his strengths and surrounds himself with people that fill in his gaps. Most importantly, he actually listens to these people.
6) He works with others to find their strengths and has a skill that brings out their strongest potentials.
7) During the tough times, is intense and passionate, while simultaneously calm and cool.
8) Has values, moral and integrity and employees know it. People have a hard time following someone who says one thing but does another.
9) Can give honest and tough feedback, in a helpful, learning way. He doesn't beat around the bush, yet he doesn't intentionally try to make the person cry either.
10) Knows when to slow down and finish something before moving onto the next big thing.
11) Surrounds himself with people that challenge and question everything. Has a cadre of “no” men and women.
12) Has a mastermind alliance. This is an informal group of other leaders that he can contact for advice, inspiration and mentorship.
13) Always learning. He's the geek with business books on tape in his car and on his iPod. He attends classes and workshops to improve his skills. He joins organizations that can help him grow as a leader (Like EO - Entrepreneurs' Organization) and he reads in his field every morning.

Those are my thoughts on leadership on this Monday morning at 6am. I'll e-mail them to Lee Iacocca and see if he can add any...