In a New York Times column published March 15, 2026, Thomas Friedman mentioned a conversation with Bill George, former CEO of Medtronic and longtime leadership educator. They discussed the people of Minneapolis who acted without fanfare to protect their neighbors against the unlawful and deadly acts of ICE agents.
George said “There were hundreds of leaders in this movement, and I don’t know a single one of their names.” Friedman compared this group to the behavior of a president who insists on putting his name everywhere possible, whether or not he deserves the honor. The contrast brought three things to mind:
- First, leadership is not a position but a behavior. Leaders can come from anywhere in a group, not just the top.
- Second was a comment by former 3M CEO George Buckley: “There is no place in leadership for ego. It is better to have your shadow on things than your fingerprints.”
- Third, leadership is contagious. Being among people who are stepping up to lead, especially when it is personally dangerous to do so, takes courage, and inspires others to step up as well.
Jan Hansen, one of the leaders profiled in The Engineer’s Guide to Authentic Leadership, may have said it best: “Don’t get too caught up about who gets credit. Just do the right thing every single time.”