A few days ago, I read a news story from Fox News that stuck with me.
Rep. Rachel Rodriquez-Williams accused Sen. Eric Barlow of not being a “conservative leader.” That phrase caught my eye. I’ve watched both lawmakers in action.
The one accusing rarely shows the traits I associate with real leadership.
The one she criticized leads with skill and substance. It got me thinking.
Let’s set aside the word “conservative” for a moment. We use that word in Wyoming to mean a lot of different things.
I want to focus on the word that matters most: leader.
Leadership isn’t a job title or a campaign slogan. It’s a way of showing up.
We see it in the decisions people make, the way they treat others, and how they carry responsibility. Leadership shows in moments of stress and in the daily routine. It’s not about claiming control. It’s about earning trust.
There are some basic traits that almost everyone agrees define a good leader:
Character. Judgment. Accountability. Integrity. Communication. Listening. Vision. Service.
The list isn’t complicated. What’s hard is living it out consistently.
Leaders who do that well don’t draw attention to themselves. They keep people focused on what matters, and they get the job done.
They don’t expect credit for doing the right thing. They expect results, and they own those results.
I didn’t learn this in a textbook, but over time through the roles I have held. Military service. Corporate business. Community organizations. Public service. Each shaped how I see leadership. Each taught me something different.
In the military, structure and discipline matter. Orders are followed.
But I served under two very different commanding officers. The first was goal-oriented and by-the-book. The ship ran fine, but there wasn’t much personal growth or connection.
The second officer was different. He built a high-performing team. He knew how to lead without pressing too hard. His leadership left space for initiative and trust.
One thing he said stuck with me: “Experience teaches you the questions, not the answers.”
That mindset, especially in Wyoming where people value self-reliance, defines leadership better than most mission statements.
In business, I worked in process improvement, marketing and supply chain. The jobs required clear communication up and down the line. Everyone needed to know where we were going and how their work fit into that bigger picture.
Accountability was shared. People set goals, measured performance, and aligned their actions with company values.
That kind of leadership takes clarity and consistency. It also takes the willingness to adapt, especially when stakes are high.
You learn to think across the system and anticipate how one decision will affect everything else. It’s practical and disciplined. Just like Wyoming.
Then there’s community service. In places like Rotary or the Food Bank, you don’t have authority. You have relationships. People volunteer their time and talent. They don’t do it because they have to.
They do it because they believe in the work. Leadership in that space means listening well and respecting what each person brings.
You need structure, but not rigidity. You build a team by valuing differences and pointing everyone toward a common goal. When that works, it’s some of the most inspiring leadership you’ll see.
Public service is the hardest of them all. People expect answers, but they don’t always agree on what is a good answer.
An effective public servant needs to communicate clearly, evaluate ideas honestly, and stay grounded in principle while remaining open to solutions.
You don’t lead by picking sides and scoring points. You lead by listening, responding, and keeping your word.
You handle disagreement without flinching. That takes integrity. It takes judgment. It takes a steady hand and thick skin.
Across all these roles, one thing has remained constant. Leadership depends on character.
Not charm. Not volume. Character.
In Wyoming, we tend to expect that. We respect people who get things done without bragging about them.
We value honesty more than flash. We want leaders who work for the public, not their own self-image.
So when someone calls themselves a leader or questions someone else’s leadership, I look past the label. I look at how they act.
Do they keep their word? Do they accept responsibility? Do they build trust? Do they treat others with respect, especially those who disagree with them? If not, the title doesn’t mean much.
Real leadership is easy to spot. It shows in quiet decisions, long hours, hard conversations, and consistent actions.
It isn’t about who talks the most. It’s about who shows up when it matters.
We owe it to ourselves, and to our communities, to expect better from the people who claim to lead us. Not louder voices. Better ones.
Readers may reach Gail Symons at GailSymons@mac.com
