Remember that we said it took a day to learn what leadership characteristics are but months or years to acquire these characteristics? To be a real leader, one needs to instill trust. Sitting Bull had an advantage in that he was from one of the Great Plains tribes, which place a high value on generosity. We say he was fortunate because one of the 'enemies' of trust is selfishness. How can I possibly trust you if I am afraid you will always be looking out for number one? Unfortunately, we are seeing the tradition of generosity fading away. Sure, we still have 'feeds' and giveaways in Indian country.
What many people conveniently overlook is that choosing your own family member for a position over another tribal member who is much better qualified for the job is a form of selfishness, of taking away from the tribe for your own personal benefit. How can you expect employees and the public to respect you as a leader, to work their hardest, when you are going to use whatever power you gain to benefit your own family?
Click here to read about another major obstacle to success in Indian country.