Leading Lite

What attributes do you conjure up when you think about a leader that has effective presence? Authentic, engaging, trustworthy, visible, clear, decisive, listener? The fact of the matter is that an effective presence reflects all of those attributes.

We need a much different leadership approach and an education system that promotes self-directed learning, emotional intelligence, and creative thinking. Those don't exist.

What defines global companies and leadership in the 21st century?

Findings from a global communications survey say that 'Employee Engagement' will be the most important quality for successful Leadership in 2020 (61%). Remarkable, the leadership quality 'Profitability' only accounts for 7% of the respondents. Also, in 2020, 'Innovation and Meaningful Experiences' will outrank 'Profit' as the most predominant business driver.

Though I don't like statements such as one "must" and companies "have to", I believe that the overall view is correct. The world's changing, business environment is changing as well. New leadership skills are required that were not taught in public schools at all but neither at business schools yet.

Good list...what would you add?

Tpotally agree with Don on item #5.  I also like #3.

Create an environment of trust.

Many organizations believe internal trust is nice to have but not a key factor for bottom line profitability. That simply isn’t true. Trust directly affects speed and cost. When trust diminishes, speed goes down and costs go up. These economic factors are usually disguised as other things, but when there isn’t trust between team members, or between the company and its customers, it is impossible to achieve real success. The myths are that trust is built solely on integrity, that you either have it or you don’t, that if lost it can’t be restored, and that it can’t be taught. The realities are that trust is a function of both character and competency, it can be both created and destroyed, it can be restored (in most cases), and be taught and developed into a measurable strategic advantage.

YES! I work under a leader like this! I want to be a leader like this!

(From the Article): Are you deeply curious? Do you respond to challenges with openness? Do you ask powerful questions? 

Or do you want just the facts? When challenged, do you defend yourself and attack the other person? Do you have more answers than questions?

I encourage you to cultivate your curiosity as a leader and to promote a spirit of inquiry among those you lead. Make extra effort to explore an issue before deciding. And, when someone disagrees with you, see that as a gift.

Intellectual curiosity, at its deepest, reaches outward and inward.

There is an external openness. The leader has a willingness to explore the unknown – seeking new situations, new data and new insights from others. When challenged, the leader wants to explore the differences.

And there is also be an internal openness to new ways of thinking. The leader is willing to challenge her own biases. The leader is willing to approach an issue with alternative perspectives.

(From the video): Except for one trifling exception - the world is made up of others.

Good medicine for when we have the unhappy bug.  From the article:

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This is one reason why taking the words and actions of others personally can be so counter-productive to our own sense of happiness and peace of mind.

Solution? No, we do not have to agree with their world view. We don’t even have to understand their world view.

We just need to understand that their world view is their world view, different from ours. And, that everything they think, feel, say and do will be be based on that frame or premise.

Now, we can be more at peace. After all, it isn’t us. It’s them.

Or, is it?