Four star-General Colin Powell, U.S. Army, was the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the First Gulf war.  Powell was a leader who “knew how to build a strong and united team”.

Powell offered 13 rules for leadership in his 2012 memoir, It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership.

1. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. This rule reflects an attitude and not a prediction. Why will things get better? Because you will make them better. Leaving the office at night with a winning attitude affects more than you alone; it also conveys that attitude to your followers.
2. Get mad, then get over it. Everyone gets mad. It’s a natural and healthy emotion. My experience is that staying mad isn’t useful.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. Accept that your position was faulty, not your ego.
4. It can be done. Have a positive and enthusiastic approach to every task. Don’t surround yourself with instant skeptics.
5. Be careful what you choose: You may get it. You will have to live with your choices. Some bad choices can be corrected. Some you’ll be stuck with.
6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. Superior leadership is often a matter of superb instinct. When faced with a tough decision, use the time available to gather information that will inform your instinct.
7. You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours. Make sure the choice is yours and you are not responding to the pressure and desire of others.
8. Check small things. Leaders have to have a feel for small things — a feel for what is going on in the depths of an organization where small things reside.
9. Share credit. People need recognition and a sense of worth as much as they need food and water. It’s amazing what can be accomplished if you don’t care who receives the credit.
10. Remain calm. Be kind. Few people make sound or sustainable decisions in an atmosphere of chaos.
11. Have a vision and purpose. Be demanding. Followers need to know where their leaders are taking them and for what purpose. Purpose is the destination of a vision. Leaders must embed their own sense of purpose into the heart and soul of everyone they lead. To achieve his purpose, a successful leader must set demanding standards and make sure they are met. Good leaders set vision, purpose, mission, and goals.
12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers. Fear is a normal emotion. And, we can train to operate through and in spite of our fear. If we don’t control our fear, it will paralyze us, and we cannot lead. Same for naysayers. Their fear and cynicism move nothing forward. How many cynics built great empires, great cities, or powerful corporations? Those who do not risk are wasting their time and energy.
13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. Believe in the likelihood of success. Believing in yourself, believing in your purpose, believing you will prevail, and demonstrating passion and confidence is a force multiplier. If you believe and have prepared your followers, your followers will believe.

References:

1. https://share.america.gov/colin-powell-13-rules-how-to-lead/
2. https://www.tribune.org/colin-powells-thirteen-rules/

2.  Get Mad Then Get Over It.

Everyone gets mad but staying mad is never useful. Instead of letting anger destroy you, use it to make constructive change.

3.  Avoid Having Your Ego So Close to your Position that When Your Position Falls, Your Ego Goes with It.

In other words, accept that your position was faulty, not your ego. Keep your ego in check, and know that you can lead from wherever you are.

4.  It Can be Done.

Again, this is more about attitude than reality. Always start out believing you can get it done until facts and analysis pile up against it. Leaders make things happen.

5.  Be Careful What You Choose. You May Get It.

Don’t rush into things. Usually, there is time to examine the choices and think through the consequences. You will have to live with your choices.

6.  Don’t Let Adverse Facts Stand in the Way of a Good Decision.

Superb leadership is often a matter of superb instinct. When faced with a tough decision, use the time available to gather information that will inform your instinct.

7.  You Can’t Make Someone Else’s Choices. You Shouldn’t Let Someone Else Make Yours.

As a leader, ultimate responsibility is yours. Make sure the choice is yours, and you are not responding to the pressures and desires of others. It does not mean that you make decisions on your own, you should still seek advice, but be aware there will always be plenty of people to “help” you make your decisions.

8.  Check Small Things.

Small actions can result in large consequences. Success ultimately rests on small things, lots of small things.

9.  Share Credit.

When something goes well, make sure to share the credit down and around the whole organization. Let all employees believe they were the ones who did it. People need recognition and a sense of worth as much as they need food and water.

10.  Remain calm.  Be kind.

Few people make sound or sustainable decisions in an atmosphere of chaos.  Establish a calm zone while maintaining a sense of urgency. Calmness protects order, ensures that we consider all the possibilities, restores order when it breaks down, and keeps people from shouting over each other.