Leadership … continued discussion 12/5/09

In this post I want to go back to one of my favorite authors on the subject of leadership, Warren Bennis, and specifically to a quote in his book On Becoming A Leader.  The quote is, “In order to lead a Great Group, a leader need not possess all the individual skills of the group members.  What he or she must have are vision, the ability to rally the others, and integrity.  Such leaders also need superb curatorial and coaching skills – an eye for talent, the ability to recognize correct choices, contagious optimism, a gift for bringing out the best in others, the ability to facilitate communication and mediate conflict, a sense of fairness, and, as always, the kind of authenticity and integrity that creates trust.” In this quote, Bennis surfaces a number of leadership qualities that are individually significant and collectively paint a very complete picture of what constitutes effective leadership.

For me, his opening sentence is perhaps the most important … leaders do not need to be all things.  I cannot imagine any mortal human possessing to the fullest extent possible all of the individual strengths that encapsulate a perfect leader.  Instead, each of us has our own strengths that we can routinely tap and the strengths of others that we can add to the mix.   The most effective leaders that I have known or witnessed understand this and actively engage others in the process … toward evolving best strategies and making the most effective decisions.

Having vision is one of the critical qualities that Bennis points to.  Not all of us can see past the moment … to sense what is coming around the bend in the road, but the most innovative and inventive of those within the leadership ranks seem to be able to do this with regularity.  Rather than a psychic quality, I have found this to be much more a product of continuous research … primarily of talking with stakeholders.  No one has all of the answers, but taking all of the answers and blending them together will often paint a clear vision of what is to be.

Bennis also mentions the importance of having “an eye for talent.”  This is critically important.  And talent should not be defined by the degrees one has been awarded or the skill sets they have acquired, it is such things as heart, drive, integrity, character, compassion, commitment, and a host of other qualities that comprise the sort of individual who will fully invest himself/herself in organizational visions and the tasks of the moment … and therefore who will make the greatest difference.  Skill sets can be learned … the qualities mentioned above come from within … they come with the person.  Focusing on these components of “talent” and then investing fully in growing these individuals to new levels represents the foundation of leadership success.  The end results can be spectacular.  A reminder of this comes in a related quote from Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Another of the individual mentions in Bennis’ quote is specific to “rallying others.”  You can have the perfect team, but if you cannot light their fire, especially in difficult times, intentions will not be achieved … at least not to the extent they might.  And people will not rally around a leader unless other qualities mentioned by Bennis are thoroughly evident … most importantly integrity and authenticity.  People follow those individuals who they trust and therefore in whom they believe.

Bennis also mentions “contagious optimism.”  It is hard to get excited in the presence of a half-glass-empty person or someone who continuously ducks perceived shadows.  Henry David Thoreau summed it up well, “None are so old as those who have outlived enthusiasm.” And this resurfaces for me yet another quote … a Marsha Evans quote shared in a past post, “Leaders don’t have the luxury of not being optimists.” To get others excited, one must genuinely display excitement.  To get others rallied around the flagpole, one must have genuine passion around the issue of the moment.  To get others to believe that anything is possible, one must genuinely believe that any obstacle can be overcome.  This cannot be faked; it has to be real.  And for true leaders … the passion runs deep, is most evident, and truly is “contagious.”

Summing this up, although leaders do not need to be all things there are certain qualities that are weaved in varying degrees through all leaders … perhaps none more important than “vision, the ability to rally the others, and integrity.”

Author Cross-references:

Warren G. Bennis: Also see posts 1/14/09, 2/6/09, 5/1/09, 8/17/09, 11/11/09, 2/18/10, 2/24/10

Margaret Mead: None

Henry David Thoreau: Also see post 10/26/09

Marsha Evans: Also see post 2/19/09

Key Word Cross-references:

Authentic/Believable/Genuine: Also see posts 1/28/09, 2/18/09, 2/25/09, 3/16/09, 10/26/09, 1/4/10, 2/24/10, 5/26/10

Benevolent/Caring/Compassionate/Empathetic: Also see posts 12/16/08, 1/16/09, 2/18/09, 11/11/09, 1/4/10

Character/Integrity: Also see posts 2/3/09, 2/6/09, 3/16/09, 5/1/09, 6/5/09, 8/17/09, 11/1/09

Communication/Effective Speaking: Also see posts 12/12/08, 3/4/09, 5/17/09, 6/26/09, 7/7/09, 9/9/09, 11/20/09, 1/4/10, 1/29/10, 2/24/10

Mentoring/Nurturing/Developing: Also see posts 12/8/08, 12/12/08, 1/13/09, 2/6/09, 2/28/09, 6/5/09, 7/7/09, 9/9/09, 9/15/09, 10/26/09, 1/6/10, 3/29/10

Optimist/Positive Attitude: Also see posts 2/19/09, 3/16/09, 3/25/09, 7/7/09, 2/24/10

Passion: Also see posts 6/26/09, 9/26/09, 2/24/10

Trust: Also see posts 12/12/08, 12/16/08, 2/18/10, 5/26/10

Vision: Also see post 5/17/09, 2/18/10, 3/12/10

Leadership … Continued Discussion 11/20/09

I want to focus this post on communication, a topic I have devoted previous posts to and a topic that cannot be emphasized enough to those of us who would grow our leadership capabilities to next levels.  In this specific post, I will quote Kevin Eikenberry.  The quote, which appeared in his book Remarkable Leadership, is as follows, “Communicating powerfully isn’t about being glib or an exceptional conversationalist.  It isn’t about using the right words at the right time or having a great vocabulary.  Communicating powerfully is about being able to ‘share or make common.’  As a leader, when you ‘make common,’ you are forming a connection between you and those with whom you are communicating and forming a community based on common meaning.”

Eikenberry, who I find remarkable in his ability to simplify even very complex concepts, points in this quote to several keys in communicating effectively.  I always admire those who can speak eloquently about absolutely anything and at the drop of a hat, but all too often a retrospective contemplation of what was shared leaves me less impressed.  Speaking without substance … almost simply to be heard, does not contribute to the community of thought and often dilutes the discussion of the moment, yet many of us do precisely this on a regular basis.  It is almost as if we feel that if we do not speak to something we will be thought unknowing or unable to form a contributing thought.

Speaking to issues is important and a critically important aspect of being a leader … at any level.  But, it is important that one’s contributions truly contribute to the discussion at hand … that one’s words have substance and purpose. And this is where I will share an anonymous quote that is included in Linda Picone’s The Daily Book of Positive Quotations, “There’s nothing wrong with having nothing to say – unless you insist on saying it.” And I will also quote Helen Gurley Brown, “Never fail to know that if you are doing all the talking, you are boring somebody.”

And this is a good time in which to resurface a quote from John C. Maxwell’s book The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, wherein he states that “leadership is the capacity and will to rally men and women to a common purpose and the character which inspires confidence.” Much like Eikenberry, Maxwell guides us to connect with those who would follow us … to rally a response or action.  But that can only happen when both the leader and the follower are working together … are on the same page.  And this only happens when communications are clear and understandable, are substantive, and have meaning.  Add to this the passion that accompanies a true belief in what one is promoting, and the response should be synergistic and effective.

Leadership is much more than having one’s voice heard, it is about communicating the issue or directive of the moment clearly, effectively, and believably.  This is what rallies people to take action … to make a greater difference.

Author Cross-references:

Helen Gurley Brown: None

Kevin Eikenberry: Also see posts 9/15/09, 1/4/10

John C. Maxwell: Also see posts 12/8/08, 6/5/09, 6/26/09, 3/29/10

Key Word Cross-references:

Communication/Effective Speaking: Also see posts 12/12/08, 3/4/09, 5/17/09, 6/26/09, 7/7/09, 9/9/09, 12/5/09, 1/4/10, 1/29/10, 2/24/10

Synergy: Also see post 2/19/09, 2/24/10

Leadership … Continued Discussions 11/11/09

In this post I want to quote Warren Bennis, a distinguished professor of business administration at the University of Southern California and a prolific author on the subject of leadership.  The quote I want to share is, “One reason that leaders are able to promulgate their vision is because they are exquisitely attuned to their followers and feel their pain, their wants, their needs.  Leaders , in every field, are richly endowed with empathy,” which was taken from his book On Becoming A Leader.  This quote fits hand-in-glove with an Oprah Winfrey quote that I shared in a previous post, “Leadership is about empathy.  It is about having the ability to relate and to connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives.” Taken together, they underscore the critical importance of caring about those whom you lead to realizing success as a leader.

No single person can know all things, do all things, be all things … it takes more than an individual to achieve the greatest results.  Successful leaders know this and build on this reality.  They invest in others so that together they can move things forward.  And those who would follow a leader do so because they believe in that person’s ability to guide them down right roads, through the issues of the day, and to the desired outcomes.  And this relationship, between a leader and a follower, is built on mutual trust.  And this level of trust is built on a foundation of truly caring about one another.  Open and honest empathy between leaders and followers is the cornerstone of a successful staff.

Successful leaders consistently achieve intended results in part because of who they are … their character, commitment, drive, initiative and a host of other trademarks.  But more importantly, they succeed because of their ability to synergize a following toward accomplishing the task of the moment, or the mission of the year, or the vision of the decade.  They assemble a following that is willing to self sacrifice to ensure that the bigger picture is embraced.  And those individuals self sacrifice because they believe in the leader who believes in them … who understands them, and who truly cares about them.

Author Cross-reference:

Warren Bennis: Also see posts 1/14/09, 2/6/09, 5/1/09, 8/17/09, 12/5/09, 2/18/10, 2/24/10

Oprah Winfrey: Also see posts 1/16/09, 2/18/09

Key Word Cross-reference:

Benevolent/Caring/Compassionate/Empathetic: Also see posts 12/16/08, 1/16/09, 2/18/09, 12/5/09, 1/4/10

Inclusive/Open/Honest/Transparent: Also see posts 12/12/08, 4/20/09, 5/1/09, 7/7/09, 8/3/09, 10/26/09, 1/29/10, 2/24/10, 5/26/10

Leadership … Continued Discussion 11/1/09

In this post I want to touch on chance-taking.  We all have our comfort zones, those places wherein we tend to rebuff change for the sake of personal safety, but leaders need to be willing to take chances and to move in new directions if they are to make their intended difference.  Ovid captured this well in writing that “Chance is always powerful.  Let your hook be always cast; in the pool, where you least expect it, there will be a fish.” And Emerson said very much the same, “Do not go where the path may lead … go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Successful leaders are gamblers to a degree … fully informed gamblers I would hope, but gamblers nonetheless.  Running in place simply allows the competition to gain on you or to advance beyond you … especially in this day wherein technology fuels change at an amazing rate.  Successful leaders continuously embrace change.

And this is where I will quote Eleanor Roosevelt, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Leaders believe in themselves and in their dreams, and they know how to inspire others to believe as well.  And I will also quote Jane Gentry, “Dare to be remarkable.” Remarkable leaders reside outside of traditional comfort zones … they routinely take calculated chances.  They do not hesitate to cast their fate into the hands of those who reside above them so that their mission or that of the organization they serve might be furthered.  They put their dreams and visions above personal safety.

So, what is it inside of us that gives us the will to embrace risk for the sake of something greater?  Character, dedication, commitment and a number of other words come to mind, but the short of it is that leaders need to make a difference and are willing to put themselves in harm’s way to make it happen.  And here is where I will quote T. S. Eliot, “Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.” To succeed as leaders, we must be willing to take chances and to risk personal jeopardy in the process.  Taking chances, and being fully transparent and accountable in the process, is a huge part of realizing success within the leadership ranks … regardless of the rung on the ladder on which we might be standing.

Author Cross-reference:

Ralph Waldo Emerson: Also see post 5/26/10

Ovid: None

Eleanor Roosevelt: None

Jane Gentry: None

T. S. Eliot: None

Key Word Cross-reference

Chance Taking: Also see posts 12/12/08, 3/25/09, 7/7/09, 3/12/10, 3/29/10

Character/Integrity: Also see posts 2/3/09, 2/6/09, 3/16/09, 5/1/09, 6/5/09, 8/17/09, 12/5/09

Leadership … Continued Discussions 10/26/09

In this post I want to discuss a quote from Henry David Thoreau that I feel represents one of the keys to being able to lead others successfully.  It is not flashy, not even poetic; it is a simple statement of what makes almost all of us tick … of what makes us want to follow another, to embrace a strategy, and to want to make a difference.  The quote is as follows, ” The greatest compliment that was ever paid me was when someone asked me what I thought and attended to my answer.”

In order t0 lead there must be those who would follow our lead.  But it is difficult to want to follow someone’s lead if you do not feel that you are valued … that you can contribute and make a difference.  To be sure there are many other reasons for wanting to jump onto someone’s bus, but I feel strongly that there is no greater reason than that stated above.  An effective leader is an inclusive leader … someone who proactively seeks out the thinking of others and seriously considers that input.  And for that would-be follower, there is no greater enticement to jump onto that person’s bus than to know that your input is valued and will contribute in some way (even if just to be genuinely considered) to decisions made.

This is a win – win thing that I am talking about.  For the leader, input, especially when diverse, truly will paint a clearer picture of what is real or will likely materialize … thereby enabling clearer decisions to be made.  For the follower, knowing that you are part of what is happening and that to a degree you are invested in decision making  that may even help to determine your own fate is central to feeling that you are making a difference.  We all need to be needed, whether we admit it or not.  The inclusive leader focuses on that need and continuously nurtures a response to it.

But there is another element of this reality that is absolutely crucial.  Such leaders must understand and believe that they do not possess all of the answers and that absolutely anyone within the ranks could have at their fingertips that critical piece of information that can lead to a better decision.  If their belief in this is shallow or non existent and input received is input quickly discarded, disenchantment will soon follow.  People understand when a request for input is genuine, and when it is not … that input will soon cease to surface.

I have experienced association presidents who listen to input, seem to consider it carefully and even embrace it, and who repeatedly rejoin the conversation the next day with a brand new direction arrived at overnight.  I have also worked with executive directors and other senior staff who seek-out the input of others but, likewise, seem to consistently revert to their own thinking in the end.  Independent epiphanies most certainly can occur and individuals in leadership roles will often have the better view of things, but when there is consistency attached to going down your own road while leaving the input of others on the sides of those roads … this is when those below the leadership ranks begin to lose their enthusiasm to participate.  And, when that happens, team energy and synergy suffer attrition as well.

Leaders grow those around them by believing in them and involving them.  In the process, they grow their own effectiveness.

Author Cross-reference:

Henry David Thoreau: None

Key Word Cross-reference:

Authentic/Believable/Genuine: Also see posts 1/2/09, 1/28/09, 2/18/09, 2/25/09, 3/16/09, 12/5/09, 1/4/10, 2/24/10, 5/26/10

Inclusive/Open/Honest/Transparent: Also see posts 12/12/08, 4/20/09, 5/1/09, 7/7/09, 8/3/09, 11/11/09, 1/29/10, 2/24/10, 5/26/10

Listening: Also see posts 8/3/09, 9/9/09, 1/29/10, 3/29/10

Mentoring/Nurturing/Developing: Also see posts 12/8/08, 12/12/08, 1/13/09, 2/6/09, 2/28/09, 6/5/09, 7/7/09, 9/9/09, 9/15/09, 12/5/09, 1/6/10, 3/29/10

Leadership … Continued Discussion 9/26/09

In this post I want to break tradition and discuss part of a leadership definition that I coined several years ago, “… a leader is someone who wants and needs to make a difference … a person with passion and commitment.”

Through better than three decades in nonprofit management, I have witnessed a full range of leadership qualities … some good, some bad and just about everything in between.  And one quality that has always been evident in the best of the leaders with whom I have worked has been a genuine love of what they do … an absolute passion if you will.  For some, this has simply been a deep-rooted need to make a difference.  For others it has been a love of the profession of association management.  And for still others the passion has been centered around the cause or profession served by the organization.

For me, it has been a mix of all three.  I cannot just do, I need to be doing things that will make a difference.  I also love what I do … nonprofit management is a difficult line of work (for the CEO, as each year brings a new president to the board of directors so too does it bring a new boss for the chief staff executive … which can make life quite interesting), but it is a wonderful and very rewarding line of work.  I cannot imagine doing anything else.  And, it is important to me that I work for an employer in whose mission I can thoroughly invest myself.

But this post is not intended to be about the road I have traveled but to focus aspiring leaders on the importance of being thoroughly committed to the work one does.  Whether at the bottom of the ladder or the top, the response should be the same … doing the best job possible so as to maximize the quality of the impact made.  I cannot emphasize enough how important this is … to feeling good about oneself and to paving the way to new opportunities.  If you genuinely care and unselfishly put yourself into what you do, you will make a greater difference and your efforts will stand out.  As well, your level of commitment will improve the game of those around you … especially if your efforts are of the unselfish sort.  Care about what you do and care about those with whom you work.  Genuinely caring makes all the difference in the world.

I have worked with some outstanding managers who have been more focused on themselves than others, none of whom reached their full potential.  I have also worked with some very good managers who consistently exceeded expectations … because they never put themselves first.  And this gets back to the importance of needing to make a difference and of putting oneself fully into the pursuit … of being passionately committed to the cause.

Care about what you do, and you will make a difference.  And in my book there is nothing more important in work life than to utilize one’s talents to the greatest extent possible to make a difference.  This is what shapes a person into the leader-aspired-to-be, and this is what paints a person for all to see.

Author Cross-reference:

Steven H. Davis: Also see posts 5/11/10, 5/26/10

Key Word Cross-references:

Commitment: None

Making a Difference: 2/24/10

Passion: Also see posts 6/26/09, 12/5/09, 2/24/10

Leadership … Continued Discussion 9/15/09

In this post I want to follow up my 1/28/09 post wherein I quoted Scott Geller, a Virginia Tech professor.  Specifically, I want to focus on this last part of the quote given in that earlier post, “authentic leaders … demonstrate self-discipline to continuously improve.” And in following up, I want  to provide several quotes from Remarkable Leadership, a book authored by Kevin Eikenberry.  The first quote is, “What makes us remarkable are those skills at which we truly excel.” And the second quote I want to share, under a section titled Strengthening Strengths Versus Working on Weaknesses, is “… it makes sense for you to spend at least as much time strengthening your strengths as working on your weaknesses.”

It is so very important to continuously work toward improvement, whether we are at the first rung on our employment ladder or the last.  But that pursuit needs to be thoroughly thought out so that the impact on one’s growth will be all that it can be.  That said, for much of my professional career, as I am sure is the case for many others, I focused on my weaknesses … thinking that overcoming them would get me further down the improvement road than working on those skills I already possessed.  But I had it all wrong, as Eikenberry clearly points out.  One certainly needs to work on their weaknesses, but it is equally important if not more important to focus on growing those abilities at which we already excel.  No matter how good we are at something, there is always room for improvement.  And not pursuing that improvement lessens the opportunity to maximally impact our goals and objectives.

And this leads me to share another book, Strengths Finder 2.0, by Tom Rath.  This text and an accompanying online assessment tool are built on 40 years of Gallup data on the subject of human strengths.  The following quote underscores Eikenberry’s contention, “Society’s relentless focus on people’s shortcomings had turned into a global obsession.  What’s more, we had discovered that people have several times more potential for growth when they invest energy in developing their strengths instead of correcting their deficiencies.” Focusing ongoing energy on growing strengths should be a part of every leader’s development plan.

But this is not the end of this line of thinking … it is equally important to ensure that leaders have a similar focus when mentoring and growing (and utilizing) those whom they lead.  Rath underscores this in the following statement, “… our studies indicate that people who do have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general.” In guiding their employees and followers in their own pursuit of improvement, leaders should ensure that there is an adequate focus on growing strengths, and then those leaders should ensure that those employees have as much opportunity as possible to tap those strengths in their day-to-day activities.

Growing and utilizing strengths are critical components of success, pure and simple.

Author Cross-references:

Scott Geller: Also see posts 12/12/08, 2/18/09

Kevin Eikenberry: 11/20/09, 1/4/10

Tom Rath: None

Key Word Cross-references:

Engaging: Also see post 8/3/09

Growth: Also see post 1/28/09

Mentoring/Nurturing/Developing: Also see posts 12/8/08, 12/12/09, 1/13/09, 2/6/09, 2/28/09, 6/5/09, 7/7/09, 9/9/09, 10/26/09, 12/5/09, 1/6/10, 3/29/10

Leadership … Continued Discussion 9/9/09

In this post I want to surface a quote from Ken Blanchard, the author of The Heart of a Leader, in which this quote appeared, and other important texts in management and leadership.  And the quote I want to discuss is, “An effective leader will make it a priority to help his or her people produce good results in two ways: making sure people know what their goals are and doing everything possible to support, encourage, and coach them to accomplish those goals.” This quote fits hand in hand with the D. Michael Abrashoff quote given in my 5/17/09 post, “A great leader defines excellence and then inspires his team to exceed it by encouraging creativity and innovative business practices.” Both quotes speak to providing clear and specific guidance and then inspiring and supporting excellence in the pursuit of goal attainment.

I am a strong believer in hiring the “right” people, growing them to another level, and providing them with everything they need to succeed at their jobs, whether that be providing resources or empowerment or encouragement.  And this touches on yet another quote from Blanchard, “… the best leaders are those who understand that their power flows through them, not from them.” To grow the kind of workplace environment that breeds success, leaders must be openly and honestly invested in those whom they lead.  They must grow and mentor their charges whenever possible … not just when it is most convenient for the leader.  They must make them part of the decision-making process.  They must empower them to utilize their abilities and take action.  And, they must encourage them through good times and bad.  Effective leaders are part of the answer, not the answer.  They facilitate, encourage and inspire.

It is too, too easy for a leader to overly lean on their successes and believe that they alone have the true vision necessary to define the road to success.  When I have witnessed this occurrence in staffs and boards alike, especially if a reoccurring theme, I have also witnessed diminishing involvement on the part of those who would follow such a leader.  And once the input of others becomes minimized, so too do decisions-made become less rich.  The diversity of opinion to be found within a stakeholder community can paint a very different picture than the one that a single person would arrive at.  An effective leader proactively seeks the input of others and modifies his/her thinking accordingly.  To do otherwise diminishes the opportunity for success to be achieved and diminishes the strength and vibrancy within a following … further impacting success.

Looking again at Blanchard’s opening quote in this post, involving others in the process and providing a very clear definition of what success looks like creates a strong foundation upon which success can indeed be built.  Then, it is an ongoing process of the leader serving as an effective sounding board and ensuring that all necessary resources and support are provided to ensure that his/her charges have every opportunity to succeed at their pursuits that ensures such.

Author Cross-references:

Ken Blanchard: Also see posts 3/29/10, 4/19/10, 5/11/10

D. Michael Abrashoff: Also see posts 5/17/09, 7/7/09

Key Word Cross-references:

Communication/Effective Speaking: Also see posts: 12/12/08, 3/4/09, 5/17/09, 6/26/09, 7/7/09, 11/20/09, 1/4/10, 1/29/10, 2/24/10

Empowerment: Also see posts 12/12/08, 1/16/09, 2/18/09, 5/17/09

Encouragement: Also see post: 1/13/09, 3/29/10

Inspiration/Motivation: Also see posts 1/16/09, 2/3/09, 2/18/09, 2/25/09, 5/17/09, 6/5/09, 6/26/09, 2/18/10, 2/24/10, 5/11/10

Listening: Also see post 8/3/09, 10/26/09, 1/29/10, 3/29/10

Mentoring/Nurturing/Developing: Also see posts 12/8/08, 12/12/08, 1/13/09, 2/6/09, 2/28/09, 6/5/09, 7/7/09, 9/15/09, 10/26/09, 12/5/09, 1/6/10, 3/29/10

Workplace Environment: Also see posts 12/12/08, 1/28/09, 2/6/09, 2/19/09, 7/7/09, 8/3/09, 1/6/10, 4/19/10

Leadership … Continued Discussion 8/17/09

In this post I want to visit a quote from Abigail Adams, in a 1780 letter from her to her son John Quincy Adams (as it appeared in the introduction to the 2003 revised edition of Warren Bennis’ On Becoming A Leader).  The quote reads as follows, “It is not in the still calm of life or the repose of a pacific station that great characters are formed.  The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulty.  Great necessities call out great virtues.”

How correct her words!  Character does not simply evolve … it is shaped by the experiences one has, and what greater experience than to be tested in difficult and trying times.  Today’s economy is a fine example … how leaders respond to declining revenues, a declining customer or membership base, and the need to economize uncomfortably will separate true leaders from those who are would-be or pseudo leaders.  These are the life-tests that either build character and shape a leader or strip away the emperor’s clothes for all to see the true essence of the person.  Leaders emerge from these trials stronger than when they entered them.  Leaders make the difficult decisions and inspire their followers forward.

And true leaders do not avoid these difficult times.  They do not look for trouble, but they do not shy away from it either.  Albert Einstein pointed the way in saying that “in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” With an eye toward the bigger picture, leaders usher their charges through the detritus of the moment and keep them focused on the opportunities that certainly also exist.   And just as leaders grow from each such encounter with things gone wrong, so too do they model the way for those whom they lead.

Stuff happens, and it happens a lot.  Leaders learn how to deal with it.  And with each new experience, their arsenal of counter measures grows.  Their toolbox gets more full.  And they handle adversity better than most because of all the “stuff” they have had to deal with through the course of their professional and personal life.  Each encounter indeed makes them stronger.

This becomes evident in one’s career when the occasion is taken to revisit prior experiences and decisions-made.  How often, built on intervening experiences, we realize how differently we might have acted in those earlier encounters had we been armed with these additional experiences.  Truly, “it is not in the still calm of life or the repose of a pacific station that great characters are formed.”

Author Cross-references:

Warren G. Bennis: Also see posts 1/14/09,  2/6/09, 5/1/09, 11/11/09, 2/18/10, 2/24/10

Abigail Adams: None

Albert Einstein: None

Key Word Cross-references:

Character/Integrity: Also see posts 2/3/09, 2/6/09, 3/16/09, 5/1/09, 6/5/09, 11/1/09, 12/5/09

Setting the Example: Also see posts 12/12/08, 1/13/09, 3/16/09, 5/1/09, 5/17/09, 6/5/09, 7/7/09, 2/24/10

Leadership … Continued Discussion 8/3/09

In this post I want to share  several quotes from Henry Mintzberg that appeared in an “Opinion” column in the November, 2004, Harvard Business Review.  In this column, Mintzberg speaks critically of leadership.  The column title says it quite clearly, “Enough Leadership.”  But in this column Mintzberg also provides key elements of what comprises good leadership.

The first quote I want to discuss is as follows, “The assumption is that every company with a problem needs new leadership, more leadership.  But I think many have had too much leadership.  They need less leadership, maybe even an older king of leadership: just enough leadership.” This is always a tough call; when do leaders reach a point wherein they are simply overly involved?  This is a critically important question, because when a leader (or a governing board) become too controlling … this is when staffs and other followers begin to disengage.  This is when creativity and chance-taking ebb.  And this is when a company or organization is most vulnerable to falling behind.

Mintzberg provides important guidance here in saying that “Instead of isolating leadership, we need to diffuse it throughout the organization.” Amen, brother!  None of us has all the answers.  The best of decision making occurs when every stakeholder has the opportunity to speak to the issue at hand.  And it has often been my experience that the very best input is that which comes from the people in the trenches … those people who are on the front lines of dealing with the situations needing to be resolved.  Effective leaders engage others in the process.  Effective leaders listen as well as they speak.  And when this occurs … when the workplace environment is open and every voice is listened to, this is when total teams emerge and when opportunity is unbounded.

And this is where I will quote Mintzberg a final time in this post, “Such leaders care a lot more than they cure, they connect a lot more than they control, they demonstrate a lot more than they decide … These leaders are not perched ‘on top.’  They work throughout.” I fully believe that the best leaders are those who promote inclusiveness in the workplace and ensure that decisions are fully informed.  Perhaps the greatest downfall for would-be leaders who do not achieve their potential is reaching a point wherein they feel only they have the answers.  This sort of arrogance, and that is precisely what it is, can bread contempt and certainly leads to decisions based on minimal input … greatly increasing the chance for wrong or less effective decisions to be made.

Effective leaders understand the balance that is called for … they find that right mix of leading the way and listening to others.  And it has been my experience that this is much more a learned trait than one that comes already part of one’s package.  In time, trial and error grow the correct philosophy in those who will ultimately lead most effectively.

Author Cross-references:

Henry Mintzberg: None

Key Word Cross-references:

Inclusive/Open/Honest/Transparent: Also see posts 12/12/08, 4/20/09, 5/1/09, 7/7/09, 10/26/09, 11/11/09, 1/29/10, 2/24/10, 5/26/10

Listening: Also see post 9/9/09, 10/26/09, 1/29/10, 3/29/10

Team: Also see posts 1/13/09, 2/18/09, 4/20/09, 1/6/10, 4/19/10, 5/26/10

Workplace Environment: Also see posts 12/12/08, 1/28/09, 2/6/09, 2/19/09, 7/7/09, 9/9/09, 1/6/10, 4/19/10