[May 24, 2014] Leaders who use their resources wisely are those that are also the most revered by their followers. Mahatma Gandhi is of course the epitome of a frugal leader; who as a worldwide respected leader of his people was able to accomplish many good things. Successful leaders are those that minimize waste, eliminate misuse, and use resources appropriately in the execution of their duties.
There is an old saying that we should all work smarter not harder. Leaders that are methodical, think before they act, and envision the outcome of their actions, are those that are better able to ensure their organization’s successful mission accomplishment.
I have found that leaders who possess the attribute of humility tend to also be those who are frugal. Even the ancient philosophers recognized the link between frugality and humility. They wrote that those who possessed these two attributes contributed the most to their communities, did the most good, and attracted the most loyal followers.
Guest blogger Rick Howe earlier this year wrote about “senior-level servant leadership” (link here). His basic argument was that leadership in a complex, fast changing world demands doing things smart, being flexible, resourceful, and at the same time respectful to those who follow us. While he did not use the word frugal, but when he says that “servant leadership is a leadership style that puts the needs of others first and encourages maximum development of people,” he is talking about frugal leaders.
A frugal leader is one who respects others by not wasting their time or their resources. We’ve all experienced the boss who cares little about wasting our time on minor tasks and then wonders why we cannot do the important things in our jobs. This type of boss is difficult to work for because they are too inwardly focused and do not care about their employees.
A frugal leader is one who is smart in the use of resources, humble, respectful of their followers, and doesn’t waste our time. The frugal leader will always be a successful leader.
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