Three Leadership Pillars

A framework for effective leadership based on three core pillars discussed by Shaan Puri, focusing on personal standards, emotional management, and vision.

The Three Leadership Pillars

1. Higher Personal Standards

• Leader must hold themselves to higher standards than others hold them to
• Standards should exceed what managers/superiors expect
• True leadership starts with self-accountability regardless of title

2. Emotional State Management

• Leaders must understand current emotional state of team/organization
• Need ability to recognize when morale is low or high
• Must know how to shift emotional states when needed
  • Can elevate low morale
  • Can create urgency when team is too comfortable
• Skill in transferring/shifting group energy and mood

3. Reality and Vision Balance

• See things exactly as they are (reality)
  • Not worse than they are
  • Not better than they are
  • Clear, unbiased assessment
• Paint picture of better future (vision)
  • Ability to show path forward
  • Create compelling vision of improvement
  • Bridge gap between current reality and future potential

Key Leadership Traits

• Emotional intelligence to read group dynamics
• Ability to influence collective mood/energy
• Clear-eyed assessment of current situation
• Skill in communicating future possibilities
• Balance between realism and optimism

This framework emphasizes leadership as a combination of personal excellence, emotional intelligence, and strategic vision rather than just position or authority.