Somebody has to go first

Acting on that truism is the essence of leadership. While it is equally true that you can only get stabbed in the back if you're out front, leaders have the guts to take that risk. Non-leaders do not.

Leaders must also earn the trust of others. Trust is built on positive personal relationships. The combination of guts and trust makes an effective leader.

So far, Gov. Steve Bullock strikes me as an effective leader. He was up front about his priorities in his State of the State speech, and he's been working hard to earn the trust of state legislators. House Speaker Mark Blasdel recently comm...