— To follow is a bullet of wisdom on leadership. It comes from Tom’s rifle, named Shot, who has seen it all. You’ll get the drift by clicking Blog in the menu at www.tomnewhouse.com. —
YOU GOTTA LOVE RUGGED INDIVIDUALISTS…until you have to work with one. You can’t tell them anything. Mind’s made up. Try cooperating with someone who doesn’t. Now, I’m just a simple rifle, but I have noted that Clint Eastwood types rarely make good for a group.
Clint gets quite a rap for the various characters he played. Probably undeserved (or not). There are leaders who abide by similar characters, and often themselves. For individualists, here’s a straight shot: You’re messing with trust when you go it alone. Why trust someone who won’t collaborate or cooperate? You’re also messing with trust when you let someone—say, the one with all that experience—go it alone. Those who act alone seldom grow others and others don’t’ trust them; so, others stay others. Potential is lost.