Leadership qualities are not as cut and dried as they used to be.

Many leaders feel that being professional in their position means being organized, focused and strong. They never let their personal life or emotions enter into relationships with their employees.

Although these qualities are important, being an authentic, compassionate and caring leader is equally important. Techniques that coax better performance require a personal touch.

Prominent thinkers in the motivational and leadership field such as Marcus Buckingham are challenging the traditional traits of great leadership. Their research indicates that leadership qualities have evolved. They believe that leaders should lean more toward authenticity rather than perfection. I couldn’t agree more.

Have you ever had one of those dreaded senior moments hit you at the worst possible time? You know what I mean; when you have forgotten something you knew you needed to share and everyone in the room recognized the blank look on your face? Well I did- in a room full of dealers listening to what started out as one of the most enthusiastic, effective presentations I have ever delivered. All of a sudden my mind went blank and my mouth started muttering something that could only be described as talking in circles because I couldn’t find my way out of the loop.

If you know me at all, then you know this led to a moment of humor at my own expense. But then something really great happened as one of the dealers spoke up and said, “We wouldn’t like you so much if you were perfect.” Truer words could not be spoken. I am definitely not perfect.

More importantly, we all had a nice laugh and I left with more than one long-term contract. The reason? In one honest moment, I became more relatable.

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