What does it take to be a leader?
If you’re here, you probably understand that it’s deeper than just a checklist of the right degrees, training programs, titles.
But what really goes into being a good leader?
On The Conscious Capitalists podcast, Shane Jackson, President of Jackson Healthcare shares his answer to that question by talking about what shaped him as a leader — a quote from his dad:
“The best teacher is experience. The next best teacher is getting the benefit of someone else’s experience.”
For Shane, the most valuable lessons didn’t come from structured training. They came from being in the room, watching decisions unfold, and seeing the complexity of real leadership in action.
Leadership as an Apprenticeship, Not a Curriculum
Most organizations treat leadership development as a structured, linear process—a series of promotions, training modules, or MBA courses. But to create well-rounded leaders, companies need to think less like teachers and more like master craftsmen training their apprentices.
Based off of the conversation with Shane, here are some ways they can do it:
- Bring future leaders into high-stakes meetings—not as participants, but as observers. Let them feel the weight of real decision-making.
- Instead of evaluating leadership potential based on performance, evaluate it based on perspective. Who in your organization is paying attention? Who notices the nuances of leadership beyond just execution?
- Instead of focusing on leadership skills, focus on leadership stamina. The best leaders don’t just make good decisions—they sustain them over time. How are you preparing your leaders for the emotional and mental endurance leadership requires?
Leading with Perspective, Not Just Ambition
One of the most unexpected insights from Shane’s book, This is the Thing About Life, Joy, and Owning Your Purpose, is the idea of leading with the end in mind—not just in terms of strategy, but in terms of legacy.
🛑 What will people say about you when you’re gone?
For many leaders, this is an uncomfortable question. When wired to think about the next quarter, the next acquisition, the next milestone, thoughts about how you’ll be remembered in 30 years don’t take up a lot of room in your mind.
But the leaders who zoom out the furthest tend to be the ones who build something that lasts the longest.
What’s the difference between a leader who is remembered and one who is forgotten? It’s not their revenue numbers or how many hours they worked—it’s how they shaped the people around them.
The best leaders don’t just execute strategy. They leave a way of thinking, a way of leading, and a way of being that continues long after they’re gone.
Rethinking Leadership Development in Your Company
If leadership is truly absorbed through experience, then it’s worth asking:
- Are your future leaders getting enough exposure to real leadership decisions?
- Are you training leaders, or just promoting high performers?
- Are you helping leaders develop the mental endurance to sustain impact over decades?
If these questions challenge the way you think about leadership, then this episode with Shane Jackson is worth a listen.
🎧 Listen now: https://go.consciouscapitalism.org/podcast/shane-jackson
#LeadershipByExperience #ConsciousLeadership #BusinessForImpact #LegacyDrivenLeadership