Latest news with #reason
Entrepreneur
08-08-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
How to Become the Leader Everyone Trusts and Follows With One Skill
What if the real leadership superpower isn't charisma or control — but something far more quiet, rare and transformative? Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. I believe that reason is the highest expression of leadership. At this level, intelligence and clarity take the lead, while emotional reactivity takes a back seat. It's here that leaders rise above instinctive responses. This emotional intelligence allows them to process complex information and make smart decisions. Leaders are able to face challenges with precision and composure. But reason goes far beyond being smart. It's about being able to sift through complexity and spot what's true. It is about acting in ways that are both logical and aligned with strong values. This level of leadership makes science, philosophy and conceptual thinking come alive. Think of Nobel Prize winners, visionary statesmen or great minds like Albert Einstein. These people made decisions based on reason and appreciated education, truth and hard work in learning. Leaders who rely on reason to make decisions are better able to bring significant changes, build stronger relationships and achieve better results. Related: This Is the Single Trait Every Great Leader Needs The hallmarks of reason: A leader's analytical toolkit Leaders grounded in reason have a unique ability; they can take complex situations and make sense of them. They look beyond the surface to find meaning and use logic as their compass. They're able to spot patterns others might miss and make clear distinctions between what's important and what's not. Instead of being guided by emotion, they base their decisions on credibility, relevance and long-term value. Imagine a leader managing a cross-department project where everyone has competing needs. A reactive leader might get overwhelmed or play favorites. However, a leader who uses reason takes a step back, listens carefully, evaluates each team's input and crafts a strategy that brings everyone together. This kind of clear thinking doesn't just keep things fair; it brings out the best in people and resources. Reason also helps leaders handle abstract concepts. This ability is essential when mapping out a long-term vision. Picture a CEO designing a five-year plan: Instead of chasing trends or guessing, they use logic, data and insight to shape a roadmap that's both bold and achievable. The alignment of reason and truth Reason is more than a mental skill; it's grounded in a deep commitment to truth. Leaders at this level understand that rational thinking has to be anchored in facts and integrity. That's what turns knowledge into wisdom. Take negotiations, for example. A reactive leader might twist the facts to get their way. However, a reason-based leader values honesty and transparency. They know that trust is the foundation for lasting success. They approach discussions with clarity and fairness, which helps them build stronger relationships and a reputation for integrity. This commitment to truth also protects them against ego. While the ego likes to bend reality to fit its agenda, reason demands evidence and logic. It invites discipline and discernment over self-serving narratives. Related: Want to Build a Successful Business? Let Go of Your Ego Moving beyond ego: Logic over control The ego doesn't like reason. It prefers control, manipulation and being right. At its worst, it twists logic to justify itself or dominate others. Some leaders use data selectively or speak in clever soundbites, not to find truth but to protect their image or gain power. But when a leader chooses reason, something shifts. They let go of defensiveness and embrace objectivity. They're able to mediate fairly, resolve conflicts wisely and make decisions that benefit the whole team, not just their own ego. This mindset also breaks down the old power structures. Instead of leading through authority or charisma, leaders at this level influence through clarity, collaboration and solid ideas. Jim Collins' research on "Level 5" leaders supports this view. The best leaders are humble yet determined. They care more about the company's success than their personal image, which is a powerful example of reason in action. From reaction to response: The power of the pause One of the most defining traits of reason is the shift from reacting to responding. Reactions come from emotional triggers like fear, pride or anger etc. They're fast, often defensive and usually not very helpful. Responses, on the other hand, are thoughtful, grounded and aimed at long-term growth. Psychologist Viktor Frankl captured this beautifully, "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." This represents the difference between emotional reactivity and rational leadership. Picture a leader being challenged in a meeting. A reactive response might be to shut down the criticism or snap back defensively. However, a leader operating from reason would pause, consider the feedback and respond with thoughtfulness. That moment of reflection turns tension into trust and builds a culture where openness is welcome. Related: Proactive or Reactive: Which Mode Are You In? How reason shapes teams and cultures Leaders who operate from reason naturally elevate their organizations. They create environments where logic, learning and truth are not just considered as values, they're part of the culture. This paves the way for innovation, trust and progress. Imagine a CEO who leads with transparency, relies on data and invites insights from all levels of the company. Employees feel seen, heard, respected and empowered to contribute. That's not just good leadership. It's the foundation for long-term success. And the ripple effect doesn't stop there. Reason-based leadership influences entire communities and industries. It promotes education, personal growth and meaningful dialogue. It raises the collective standard, not just within the organization but beyond it. The bottom line: Reason as a leadership superpower The ability to reason is more than a nice-to-have skill. It's the gold standard of leadership. It replaces emotional reactions, ego-driven choices and impulsive behavior with calm, clarity and purpose. Leaders who operate from reason inspire trust and make smart decisions. They shape environments where people and ideas can thrive. They don't just lead; they elevate. In doing so, they create a lasting impact, not just in their organizations but in the world around them.
ABC News
26-04-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Raina MacIntyre's book Vaccine Nation celebrates the public health gains of vaccines. It's also a warning
Professor Raina MacIntyre was waiting quietly in the emergency department of a busy hospital last year when she overheard a conversation she'll never forget. The patient in the cubicle next to hers had been scratched and bitten by his cat but was flatly refusing the tetanus booster his doctor was recommending. Couldn't he just have some antibiotics and be on his way? The doctor told him that wasn't necessary and asked why he didn't want a tetanus shot. "I know 30 people who dropped dead. I don't want it. I'm not having it," he said. "Thirty people I know died after getting COVID vaccines." Instead of correcting him — instead of explaining that there had been 14 deaths from COVID vaccines in Australia, all before 2022, and 13 of them after the AstraZeneca shot which had since been withdrawn — the doctor gave the man the antibiotics he was demanding, likely only reaffirming his beliefs. "Privately, many doctors and health leaders bemoan falling vaccination rates and stay silent while anti-vaxxers claim the stage, free to make whatever outlandish … claims they wish," MacIntyre writes in her new book, Vaccine Nation: Science, reason and the threat to 200 years of progress. "At the same time, many fail to provide the role modelling needed for change, stricken by the same fear as politicians" who avoid speaking about COVID because it is "triggering" for so many people. Photo shows Gloved hands holding COVID-19 vaccine, needle in glass container. Three local councils in South Australia have been passing motions questioning vaccines, but health experts say they are based on misinformation and heighten community risk. That emergency department exchange epitomises the public health challenge the world is now facing, and which MacIntyre, who researches infectious diseases, bioterrorism and vaccines as But Vaccine Nation is also a warning about the acceleration of the anti-vaccination movement during the pandemic and worrying declines in vaccination rates around the world, which MacIntyre links to a broader backlash against science and medicine, including from within the medical profession itself. It is a precarious situation given the looming threat of a bird flu pandemic — one experts fear could be deadlier than SARS-CoV-2 — though it's already a A catalyst for this backlash, MacIntyre says, were COVID lockdowns, which in Australia were enforced before vaccines were available to prevent the crises unfolding overseas — collapsing health systems, refrigerator trucks full of bodies, mass graves. But lockdowns have become conflated with any kind of public health measure — including face masks and vaccines — as "state-sponsored tools for control" and an attack on personal freedoms. As a result, MacIntyre writes, public health messaging has become "timid and apologetic", myths and misinformation have flourished unchecked, and "we now risk losing the gains of the last two centuries in a post-truth era embraced by the community and medical experts alike". Vaccines are easily taken for granted Together with improved sanitation, better nutrition, and antibiotics, vaccines have led to significant public health advances that are easily taken for granted. A Until then, infectious diseases were a leading cause of death, particularly among children. The Raina MacIntyre's Vaccine Nation is available from May 1st, 2025. ( Supplied: NewSouth Books ) But these gains are now under threat. Australia's childhood immunisation rates remain relatively high by global standards but fell in 2023 for the third consecutive year, the More research is needed to understand exactly what's driving these shifts: it's not all about COVID, nor is it all about MacIntyre also points the finger at doctors, including experts on vaccine advisory committees, some of whom she says have downplayed COVID's seriousness and fuelled vaccine misinformation. She is scathing, for instance, of "It's a 'I don't want mRNA in my body!' In a chapter called "I don't want mRNA in my body!" — a tongue-in-cheek nod to the fact that Crucially, COVID vaccines saved an estimated COVID vaccines saved an estimated 14.4 million lives globally just in the first year after they were rolled out. ( Supplied: WA Health ) Still, while the safety of COVID vaccines is well-established, they're not completely risk free — no vaccine or drug is. A study of . It may be of little comfort to That's not to say vaccine programs always go smoothly. In a chapter on vaccine safety MacIntyre explains the strict development process new vaccines undergo and the sophisticated monitoring systems large countries use to track adverse events — this surveillance is used to pick up rare side effects that aren't identified in clinical trials. But rollouts have occasionally revealed serious failures. One of the most infamous examples is the Tackling the politicisation of public health Seventy years later, despite the resounding success of COVID vaccines, we're now grappling with a confidence crisis on a bigger scale, driven by a tangle of factors: the Perhaps one of the most insidious examples of the challenge science now faces is the backlash MacIntyre has copped personally. Earlier in the pandemic, whenever she'd do media interviews, angry, abusive emails from complete strangers would come pouring into her inbox. They blamed her for lockdowns and, in one bizarre example, accused her of promoting masks and vaccines and causing mass deaths as a result. "F--- you, Raina. You are just so f---ing useless, like 95 per cent of females with 'careers'," one emailer spat. MacIntyre argues that "risk perception" ultimately drives human behaviour and tolerance for public health measures, vaccines included. ( ABC News: Brendan Esposito ) "I'm not sensitive at all because I know what I'm doing," MacIntyre insists. "I know what I say is based on evidence, on science … and I'm just not bothered by what anyone thinks or says about me. I also don't want negativity in my life … so if doing interviews is going to bring negativity, I don't need it, I don't want the attention." These days, she says, she'll do an interview if it's about a subject she thinks no one else understands the way she does: "If there's something I can contribute, I would like to. But there's also the question of, when people are over it, what's the point in being a talking head out there?" Still, things can be turned around, she says — especially in Australia, where as far as public health goes, "we're in a much stronger position than the US or UK". "I think some public messaging to consolidate the gains we already have is important, so we don't lose it in the sea of misinformation that will be coming in the near future," MacIntyre says. "I think the politicisation of public health" — reflected in political leaders' reluctance to mention COVID, for instance — is something we need to tackle." Photo shows A stock photo of a boy infected with measles. Australia is in the middle of a surge in measles cases amid a global spike and declining childhood vaccination rates. So what precautions should be taken to avoid widespread transmission? She also supports Other experts have suggested public confidence in vaccines could be bolstered by improving the governance and accessibility of vaccine injury compensation programs (many people who say they were injured by COVID shots Perversely, though, it may take people dying from resurgent, vaccine-preventable diseases like measles — or the onset of a bird flu pandemic — to really shift the dial. As MacIntyre writes, "risk perception" ultimately drives human behaviour and tolerance for public health measures, vaccines included. "When people see friends, family and neighbours dying or becoming seriously ill with pandemic influenza," she writes, "most will avail themselves of any available protective measures".
