Zig Ziglar talks to Keith Rosen about leadership and what makes a great leader today.

Zig emphasizes how great leaders are totally dependable, 100% accountable, transparent, authentic, unconditionally supportive, passionate and people of their word. Zig explains why servant leadership is so important. After all, leadership, like coaching, is not something you do TO people but something you do FOR people; not just at the office but at home and in your personal life as well.

Finally, being a great leader is not about what you do but who you are. Your title as a manager, executive, president or CEO doesn’t make you a leader. It just describes your position. Great leaders know that respect is earned; not automatically given, assumed, expected by default or granted to you because of a sense of entitlement that you, as the leader may feel.

You don’t DO leadership. You don’t say “I’m doing what a great leader does” because that doesn’t make you a great leader.  Conversely, you want to be a great leader. And the cornerstone of being a great leader is always more about who you are and how you show up every day. That’s what leadership presence is all about and how truly great leaders make the indelible and powerful impact they want.

It was a privilege and honor to spend a day with Zig Ziglar, one one one, in 2009 at his corporate office in Dallas. We did this series of interviews, which never aired. In honor of Zig Ziglar, I’m dedicating these videos in his memory. We are forever grateful for Zig’s wisdom and the gifts he has given to all of us over the years. His words and inspiration will continue to impact us today and for many generations to come.