Eugene Yan's recent essay on exceptional leadership addresses fundamental questions: what makes a good leader, and what do good leaders do? The piece outlines a set of qualities and behaviors rather than prescribing a single approach.
The article introduces three leadership archetypes: commando, soldier, and police. Each represents a distinct style and set of priorities. This framework helps leaders identify their own tendencies and adapt to different situations.
While the source does not focus on artificial intelligence or machine learning, its lessons can be applied to technical teams. Leading AI/ML projects often involves balancing hands-on involvement, disciplined execution, and governance—echoing the archetypes Yan describes.