The foundation of effective leadership is thinking through the organization’s mission, defining it, and establishing it, clearly and visibly. The leader sets the goals, sets the priorities, and sets and maintains the standards. He makes compromises, of course; indeed, effective leaders are painfully aware that they are not in control of the universe. Effective leaders are rarely “permissive.” But when things go wrong—and they always do—they do not blame others. An effective leader knows, of course, that there is a risk: able people tend to be ambitious. But he realizes that it is a much smaller risk than to be served by mediocrity. An effective leader knows that the ultimate task of leadership is to create human energies and human vision. Effective leadership—and again this is very old wisdom—is not based on being clever; it is based primarily on being consistent.