Most of us are aware of the adage “Lead, follow, or get out of the way.” I like to include “Add value or stay out of the way.”
The world would be a better, more effective, and much happier place if “Lead, follow, add value, or get out of the way” was reality and not just a wish.
It’s late, I’m tired, and I didn’t save my last draft of this post – which just now disappeared into the blogosphere.
Rather than start from scratch – again – I offer up Chris Banescu’s worthwhile Leadership essays/podcasts to inspire each of us to be great leaders - but also to hold accountable those who pretend to be:
What are some key characteristics of a great leader? While many books and countless articles have been written about this subject, we continue to witness a significant shortage of great leaders in many companies and institutions. Here are some essential traits and skills that great leaders must possess.
Great leaders are people persons. They must like being around people, be comfortable talking to and listening to people, and know how to relate to them. Great leaders must know how to communicate with their employees, speak their language, and not talk down to them. This is essential. Anyone who is not comfortable being around people, or exhibits anti-social or narcissistic behavior, should not lead or be in charge of anyone. Bullies, sycophants, and loners never make great leaders, regardless of their level of intelligence, education, and capability.
Great leaders are knowledgeable and effective administrators. They understand the work that is being done in all areas of their organization, how those areas and the people interact and relate to one another, and the roles their managers play in getting the job done efficiently and correctly. Great leaders have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the people they manage and proactively dedicate resources and time to correct the weaknesses and reinforce the strengths. They don’t micromanage, know how to delegate, and empower those around them to do what’s needed. They almost always promote from within.
Great leaders are pragmatic, proactive, and fair managers. They are reasonable and realistic in their management and set challenging but sensible goals and objectives for their people. They reward excellence, productivity, loyalty, and ethical conduct. Great leaders do not allow problem employees to accumulate in their organizations and disrupt others, or negatively impact their customers. They admonish the lazy, irresponsible, and unethical employees, and promptly fire incorrigible individuals. They understand that every minute spent on a bad employee who refuses to improve is a minute stolen from the good employees that deserve the leader’s full attention and support.
Great leaders display visionary, passionate and inspiring leadership. They are passionate about their work and their organizations, their employees, their products or services, and their customers. They are also passionate about life and excellence in all areas. They set out the vision, direction, and goals of their enterprises, communicate the big picture to their followers, and continually inspire and motivate their employees to follow. Great leaders encourage others to dream, to be creative, to excel, to innovate, and constantly improve. They stay focused on the long-term success of their people and their organizations, and build up the branding and long-term value of their companies and the trust and loyalty of their customers.
Great leaders are emphatic and active listeners. They understand that the people who know best how the job should be done are the ones doing it. Great leaders genuinely care about and show a sincere interest in what their employees have to say and take the time to listen to them. They are active listeners who pay attention to what is being said, concentrate on the ideas and issues their followers raise, and take appropriate actions that demonstrate their understanding and concern. Great leaders spend time among their employees and empathize with their followers. Their open door policies are truly “open door”, not just a fancy catch-phrase used for self-promotion. Anyone with a genuine concern or valuable contribution is welcomed and encouraged to share it. Great leaders also listen to their customers and do what is needed to address their concerns and strive to meet and exceed their expectations.
http://chrisbanescu.com/blog/2008/06/21/key-characteristics-of-great-leaders-part-ii/
Great leaders surround themselves with greatness. They actively seek out the best possible people and hire them to fill all key positions within their organizations. Great leaders know that surrounding themselves with excellence is a direct reflection on their own character, abilities, and effectiveness as leaders. They understand that their own success and the success of their organizations depend mostly on hiring and promoting the best qualified, ethical, skilled, responsible, mature, and productive people and giving them the proper resources, authority, and freedom to do what’s needed for the long-term benefit of their companies. Great leaders do not feel threatened by anyone lower in the chain of command who’s smarter, better educated, more productive, or more popular than they are. They respect the greatness and unique abilities of the individuals they lead and encourage them to continually flourish and grow.
Great leaders are optimists and realists. They are individuals who always look at life with a great deal of hope and optimism, and yet remain staunch realists who face life’s challenges head on and don’t shy away from adversity and hardships. Great leaders are great dreamers and visionaries, but with their feet firmly planted on the ground. They embrace truth and live in reality. They deal with things as they really are, not as they would like them to be. Great leaders have an infectious optimism that inspires and reassures their followers. They are not easily fooled by phony individuals or taken in by bogus schemes and unrealistic dreams. When meeting them one is struck about how clearly they see reality, yet how focused and optimistic they can remain in the face of adversity, uncertainty, and turmoil.
Great leaders earn the respect of their followers, they don’t demand it. A cornerstone of true leadership is evidenced by the voluntary submission of followers to the leader’s authority. Most great leaders have reached positions of prominence by virtue of their actual experience, knowledge, and leadership abilities, not due to schmoozing, luck, cronyism, longevity, abusing or manipulating others, or by virtue of avoiding controversy or failing to “rock the boat.” They are individuals who people respect because not only can they get the job done, but they also know what they’re talking about. Great leaders’ integrity, character, and abilities continually earn the respect, love, and trust of their followers. When great leaders speak people listen and obey, not because they have to, but because they want to.
Great leaders reward, recognize, and promote the best. They understand that a company’s most valuable asset is its employees. Acting on that belief great leaders strive to hire the best employees for their organizations and insure those individuals reach their full potential. They nurture and recognize excellence in their employees and continually aim to fairly and proportionality reward and actively promote those that contribute to the long-term success and profitability of the business. Great leaders know that hugs, plaques, and awards are wonderful ways to acknowledge employees, but nothing says thank you more eloquently than giving them a promotion or writing them a check or rewarding them in another substantive way that is financially meaningful to the individual.
Great leaders have character, integrity, and courage. They exemplify a solid moral foundation in both their words and their actions. Their management style and decisions demonstrate an unwavering consistency and integrity in practicing what they preach and speaking truthfully even when it’s not expedient or beneficial to them personally. Great leaders stand up for what they believe in and have the courage to defend their principles and their people even when it would be easier to cave in and compromise. They are not afraid to challenge lies and falsehoods, take action to deal with incompetence and evil, and defend those who are doing what’s right and needed for the long-term benefit of their organization and their employees. Great leaders have the courage to do what is right and ethical despite the pressures to be cowardly, silent, or complacent. Cowards, fence sitters, enablers, and those who believe in political correctness never make for good leaders.
Great leaders embody proper humility. They are genuine individuals who let the content of their character and leadership abilities speak for themselves. Great leaders do not boast about their accomplishments, abilities, and intelligence, nor justify their mistakes. They are not condescending towards those they lead or their peers. Great leaders are genuine, friendly, and steadfast in their dealings with others. They are just as quick to say ‘thank you’ when praised, as to say ‘I’m sorry’ when wrong. Great leaders give proper credit where credit is due and always take responsibility for their actions. They strive to recognize their employees for all organizational successes and take most of the blame for any failures or mistakes. They are open to and actively encourage constructive and substantive criticism. Great leaders purposely surround themselves with people of character, courage, and integrity whom they empower to speak and act in order to insure the same leadership ethos permeates the entire organization and outlasts their tenures.
“All men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power. “
- Abraham Lincoln
Tags: loners, narcissistic behavior, peop, bullies, great leaders, chris banescu, good understanding, leadership essays
