Paul Richardson: The definition of real leadership

(From Paul Richardson, City of Neosho Public Relations Director and Events Coordinator)

There is an old saying, or at least old by my standards and reaches beyond the extent of my existence. This saying states that “It takes all kinds to make up this world”. Well I am here to say that “it doesn’t take all kinds, but we got them anyway”.


I could put together a list of personality types, skill sets and general attributes that I, and probably only I, would consider being the optimum group for any community. I am sure that there will be many reading this column that could do the same and if they were to do it by individual names; I might not be on many if any of the lists

The good wife has pointed out to me several times that, “Not everybody likes you, are you aware of that?” Yes, I am aware of that. That is a 2-way street, however.





Moving on so as to not drag this thought into a deep, dark well, the real life situation is that there are all kinds. There are those that plan. There are those that live minute by minute. There are those that can deal with failure and overcome it, moving onward and forward. There are those that failure will set them so far back that all is lost. There are those that do. There are those that don’t. This list can go on indefinitely but real successes are found in those that do and can do and also know how to incorporate others with different skill sets into their plans and activities.


The doers that know how to collaborate with others can expand the horizon of any plan. These are the people that can move any organization to the top of the game.

As some of our readers are digesting this, they will begin to say, “I think that describes me”. That is not really the way this works. This is one of those instances where third-party verification is the only valid way to determine if this applies.


A part of my life experiences has been dealing with some that simply believe that leadership is centered on delegating to others. Find someone capable and pass the task on to them. Every person that I ever met who held this philosophy was short lived in their position. It turns out that life doesn’t need more people who can just sit and point. What life needs are people who can contribute.

If these same people can contribute and collaborate with others who in turn get on board the productivity train and increase the contribution, then things begin to happen.

Real leadership knows that you can transfer authority but responsibility never leaves home. If you own it and you have given someone else authority to perform the task and the task does not get done, it is still yours to own. If they can’t get it done, then you will be responsible for doing it yourself. As the great President that hailed from the State of Missouri, President Harry S. Truman claimed, “The Buck Stops Here."





As 2019 gets underway, many a volunteer will be needed to assist in the numerous tasks that will be undertaken. The needs in the Parks, in recreation, during Events, during the Community Service Days, assisting the Stream Teams, and various other civic organizations cannot be met without the volunteer assistance. We have all kinds and all kinds will and can be used.

So if you are a kind, any kind, we don’t care what kind and you want to get out there and put your two cents to good use, look for leadership that can and will produce. Leadership that will produce even if they are totally abandoned and will keep keeping on under the most difficult of conditions.

Look for those that will give you the authority you need to get something done, but knowing full well that if you and everyone else fails they are still responsible. That is the one kind of all kinds that we really need!