The other day I was asked to speak about leadership. The idea of approaching a topic as broad as leadership. The idea of saying anything of value in a ten-minute window was daunting to say the least.
I started to think about different leader role models that I have worked with or connected to. A few years ago, there was an opportunity to meet Jason Jennings and hear him speak about a book he had just published – Hit the Ground Running. His research and interviews were with some of the best corporate leaders in the United States. In his text, he identified three common traits for outstanding leaders –
- Leaders used their instincts. They brought with them new ideas and were able to get their organization “pitching in immediately.”
- Leadership did not follow conventional thinking. New leaders didn’t immediately move their “cronies” into high ranking positions; nor did they put the fear of God into everyone.
- The leader made the mass of the organization proud. Leadership was all about making the right decisions for the enterprise – senior leaders, the general public, the community.
These traits are very understanding. Jennings noted that each of the leaders he included in his list of top role models assumed leadership in different ways – some by birth, some by appointment, some by election, some by nomination. Regardless of how they became a leader, how they led was very similar.
One notion that Jennings did not include was that there was a sense of bravery, bravado, or shear guts with each of the leaders he reviewed. All too often leaders are chosen for their ability to fit into an enterprise’s culture. When this occurs, the ability to hit the ground running, using the authors’ words, is impossible. The honeymoon period we often discuss for any new leader is short-lived. The leader’s ability to change, shift, or alter a culture in any way demands the support of governance, leadership, or a management champion.
The three characteristics assume a sense of urgency. Urgency for change, for success, for profits, for organizational development. Howard Lance said, “Time is the differentiator. Everyone has the same amount. It’s how you use it to create a competitive advantage that’s the key.”
There are times that I believe experience is a fourth characteristic shared among these role models, or at least among my personal role models. Experience is a great teacher and a greater humbling force. The bravado of youth has been tempered with the understanding that you need to spend some degree of time – regardless of time and urgency, to
- Survey the situation and scope out the issues;
- Consider the current culture, players, environment;
- Recognize how you communicate – both verbal and nonverbal, is the foundation for your leadership.
Humility is not often considered a trait of a leader. Some would say it is the antithesis of great leadership. In the end, humility humanizes the leader.
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