Captain William was an epitome of leadership. In 2014, he was awarded a Medal of Honour for his selfless service, rescuing his colleagues at war. The military gives medals to people who sacrifice themselves for their country, and then there are some businesses that give bonuses to people who sacrifice OTHERS for their own gain. Why do some of us have it backwards in the corporate world? Because of the environment. If leaders built the right emotional environment, they would have the capacity to do remarkable things. And this would translate down to the employees too.

Build a deep sense of trust and cooperation. These are not instructions, but feelings. As a leader, you cannot get much done with mere instructions. The business world, we can say, is filled with obstacles that are out to frustrate us and reduce our opportunity for success. A true leader will build conditions within the organisation that help employees work together, and build a circle of trust, where everyone feels safe. Remember it’s always the leader that sets the tone and the leader that makes the choice.