You can’t be a good leader unless you generally like people. That is how you bring out the best in them.

Richard Branson

I think that there is a lot of truth in this quote. Many people fail as bosses or coaches simply because they are not genuinely interested in their employees/pupils. If you don’t like people just for being human and if you do not give a shit about how they work/ what they feel etc., you will NEVER EVER succeed as a leader.

Why? Because people are interested in themselves. They want to hear about what others think about them and they think about how they are seen by others. Often times people are so busy reflecting themselves that they have no time to express their true feelings at all.

And it is due to this egocentric attitude of human beings that you have to honestly care about them. How can you possibly be a good boss if you are not interested in your employees, but just in your own wellfare? Would you like a boss like that? Not at all.

And the point is: People are not stupid, you can’t fake interest in your followers. If you are simply not interested, they’ll notice. So be kind and openhearted or don’t try leading at all!

/phil