High Standards Pave the Way

October 7, 2014 by

Standards-Pave-Way-Culture-EngineIs your team’s work environment engaging and inspiring or dull and frustrating?

An engaging and inspiring environment is usually active and noisy. People are moving around, talking and working together to solve problems and deliver solutions. Team members are pleasant and happy.

A dull and frustrating environment is usually passive and quiet. Team members work independently, not cooperatively. Interactions between team members are often tense and short. Noise may come from unhappy people arguing.

Your work environment may fall somewhere between these two extremes. Do you pay attention to the your workplace culture?

If you’re like most leaders, probably not. Leaders typically pay more attention to products and services than they do to their team (or department or company) culture. Yet culture drives everything that happens in their organization – and yours – good or bad.

Culture by default isn’t a reliable way to craft workplace inspiration. Culture by design is.

Leaders must pay equal attention to performance and values. Both are required to create a productive, safe, and inspiring work environment for everyone.

Great (and effective and inspiring) bosses are intentional about their team’s culture.

They set high standards of performance as well as high standards for values – team citizenship – to ensure a healthy workplace.

They specify desired performance expectations in observable, tangible, and measurable terms. With clear performance standards communicated and agreed to, great bosses are able to hold people accountable for those performance standards.

They also specify desired values standards – in the form of observable, tangible, and measurable behaviors. With clear values standards communicated and agreed to – and modeled by leaders – great bosses are able to hold people accountable for demonstrating those behaviors in every interaction.

Creating and managing to behaviorally defined values is a proven avenue to an engaging and inspiring work environment. Yet most leaders have never been asked to manage values and behaviors before! Leaders are more experienced and more comfortable with managing performance expectations. They’re much less experienced managing values expectations.

What leaders need is a step-by-step guide to creating and managing to values standards. I present exactly this approach in my new book, The Culture Engine.

Would your team or department benefit from high performance standards and high values expectations? Learn more about creating an organizational constitution and managing to one in my new book, The Culture Engine. Get your free sample chapter at http://thecultureengine.com.

Please leave your comments and questions in the comments section.

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Leadership Trait to Ponder: Fun

August 7, 2014 by

Leadership-Trait-Fun-Todd-Nielsen-ManagementToday the leadership trait to ponder is Fun. As leaders we can’t be slave drivers of ourselves and those we lead. While I am all about execution, it is important to also have some fun at work, as well as away from work, to recharge and be able to better focus. The dictionary defines Fun as: enjoyment, amusement, or lighthearted pleasure; amusing, entertaining, or enjoyable. Below are some of my favorite quotes to help inspire and illustrate Fun. As you read these quotes, think about how you can exemplify this leadership trait in yourself.

Quotes on Fun

I cannot even imagine where I would be today were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of joy. Let’s face it, friends make life a lot more fun.” ~Charles R. Swindoll

Fun is like life insurance; the older you get, the more it costs.” ~Kin Hubbard

It’s fun to have a partner who understands your life and lets you be you.” ~Kim Kardashian

Follow your dreams. Just make sure to have fun too.” ~Chris Brown

Work is much more fun than fun.” ~Noel Coward

When he worked, he really worked. But when he played, he really PLAYED.” ~Dr. Seuss

Life is more fun if you play games.” ~Roald Dahl

>You don’t have to make something that people call art. Living is an artistic activity, there is an art to getting through the day.” ~Viggo Mortensen

The further you get away from yourself, the more challenging it is. Not to be in your comfort zone is great fun.” ~Benedict Cumbergatch

Sometimes, the simple things are more fun and meaningful than all the banquets in the world …” ~Liz Reinhardt

In terms of days and moments lived, you’ll never again be as young as you are right now, so spend this day, the youth of your future, in a way that deflects regret. Invest in yourself. Have some fun. Do something important. Love somebody extra. In one sense, you’re just a kid, but a kid with enough years on her to know that every day is priceless..” ~Victoria Moran

When you are joyful, when you say yes to life and have fun and project positivity all around you, you become a sun in the center of every constellation, and people want to be near you.” ~Shannon L. Alder

 

Fun – A Leadership Trait to Ponder! Tweet This

What do you think about when you ponder Fun at work? Please share your thoughts int he comments section.

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UQ Power – Have You Got It?

August 4, 2014 by

Heidi-UQ-PowerSix months ago a wonderful and original book hit the world by my good friend Heidi Alexandra Pollard called, Power Up Your UQ: Boost Income, Influence, & Impact. I truly regret not sharing this book sooner, but life has been full of twists and turns that have made it difficult to get my review out. Heidi asked me to review the book last year and write the forward. I was honored when she asked me, but even more so after I finished the book. This book is like no other self improvement or leadership book you have ever seen, I guarantee it. Below is the forward I wrote, after reading it recently, I am  sure I could not write anything better to get you to want to read it.

Forward to Power Up Your UQ: Boost Income, Influence, & Impact

“Every successful person has habits, knowledge, and skills that elevate them to rise above others and achieve phenomenal feats. They don’t just desire success, they hunger for it. It’s an unquenchable hunger, and unfortunately there’s not a simple recipe for success. Success is about so many things, such as: changing your mindset, becoming productive, always learning and improving one’s skills. It’s about being creative, asking questions, being a good listener, standing-out from the crowd, and so much more.

In my search on what makes organizations truly successful, I have found that the best organizations are ones that know how to get things done, they execute, and they have a culture of execution that creates and amazing power to excel far above their competition.

Before you can arrive to culture of execution, there are a lot of things that must be present in an organization. A successful business is one that stands-out in the marketplace, its unique; it’s filled with individuals, from the top to the bottom, that possess passion and strong leadership skills. At the heart is a culture that is positive and uplifting which brings out the best in people and motivates them to help the business grow and be mo
re successful. There is a lot more, but the end result is – they get things done.

In my search for the secret to success in life and business, I have read hundreds, if not thousands of books on leadership, management, self-improvement, productivity, personal branding, and every other topic under the sun to improve my skills and ability to stand-out in work and life, and to become more successful. Every once in a while I come across a truly original book that changes lives, enriches souls, and helps to fill in the recipe of how to create success. Power UP Your UQ: Boost Your Income, Influence, & Impact, is just that and much more. In a unique, fun, and creative style, Heidi makes you laugh, all the while teaching you valuable lessons to change your life and business.

This book wraps a hundred years of business and self-improvement literature into a concise, unique, and fun volume that touches on just the right elements to take an individual or business to the next level of success.

Will it be easy? —- Of course not!

Will it be fun?  —- You bet!

Will it be worth it? —- Absolutely!

So enjoy the story, laugh at the illustrations, be inspired at the nuggets of wisdom – then get to work and build your UQ Power.”

If you have read the book or have some thoughts please leave a comment. If you want to buy the book, which you really should, you can get it from Heidi’s website. I’ll be mailing a few copies to some people that leave well-thought out comments.

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Leadership Trait to Ponder: Punctuality

July 31, 2014 by

Punctuality-Leadership-Time-Management-Todd-NielsenToday the leadership trait to ponder is Punctuality. Punctuality is important to me since a leader’s time is almost always scarce. I have sat in many conference rooms with a number of other executives waiting for the leader or some other key member to arrive in order to begin a meeting.  I estimated in one meeting that the cost of waiting amounted to be in the thousands of dollars.

I have taught my 6 year old son the phrase, “Early is on time and on time is late.” It’s a motto that we could all benefit from. The dictionary defines Punctuality as: the condition of keeping to arranged times for appointments, meetings, etc. The condition of arriving or taking place at an arranged time; promptness.

Below are some of my favorite quotes to help inspire and illustrate the importance of Punctuality. As you read these quotes, think about how you can exemplify this leadership trait in yourself.

Quotes on Punctuality

I think the only way to properly face doom is to be on time.” ~Jennifer Dubois

Punctuality is the soul of business.” ~Thomas Chandler Haliburton

Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no delay, no procrastination; never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.” ~Lord Chesterfield

Punctuality is the politeness of kings.” ~Louis XVIII

Tardiness often robs us opportunity, and the dispatch of our forces.” ~Niccolo Machiavelli

Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.” ~William Shakespeare

Promptitude is not only a duty, but is also a part of good manners; it is favorable to fortune, reputation, influence, and usefulness; a little attention and energy will form the habit, so as to make it easy and delightful.” ~Charles Simmons

People count the faults of those who keep them waiting.” ~Proverb

What do you think about when you ponder Punctuality? Do you have any other favorite quotes on the topic? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

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64 Things Every Leader Should Promise NOT To Do

July 29, 2014 by

Leadership-Behaviors-Todd-NielsenLast week I shared an article called 64 Things Every Leader Should Promise.  That came from a project I was working on earlier this year in which I wanted to document all the promises that I believe a leader should make to the people he or she leads. Once I finished that list I realized it was not good enough. So I started another list that explained 64 things that I refused to do as a leader. While many of the items are similar to the promise list, many of these were just pet peeves that annoyed me. We all know the importance of “to do” lists and “will not do” lists, this is kind of like that.

So here is my “NOT GONNA DO IT” list, I hope you enjoy the list and it gives you a lot to think about:

  1. I will not belittle or speak condescending to staff.
  2. I will not curtail communication, thus leaving staff unclear about direction.
  3. I will not disempower my staff so they cannot succeed on their own.
  4. I will not overly analyze every decision and thus halt the execution process.
  5. I will not restrain from admitting when I have made a mistake.
  6. I will not forget to recognize staff for the achievements they have made.
  7. I will not ignore my staff and retreat into an office.
  8. I will not refuse to provide executive-level sponsorship for management initiatives.
  9. I will not forget to give managers the proper authority to perform their jobs.
  10. I will not sit idly by if staff does not have the resources or tools to complete their objectives.
  11. I will not yell at anyone.
  12. I will not be inconsiderate.
  13. I will not forget common occasions that are important to people.
  14. I will not use threats with staff to get them to perform their job.
  15. I will not make my staff feel guilty, if they do not do something extra (stay late, work the weekend, etc…).
  16. I will not use fear tactics to “motivate” staff.
  17. I will not play favorites with staff.
  18. I will not do things that are self-serving.
  19. I will not find myself lacking the competence that is critical to the organizations success.
  20. I will not lie to my staff.
  21. I will not make an “example” of staff members in front of others.
  22. I will not disregard the health and welfare of staff over the success of the company.
  23. I will not keep necessary training from staff that will prevent them from having greater success.
  24. I will not create an atmosphere where the staff does not have opportunities to progress and grow.
  25. I will not be callous and moody.
  26. I will not be unforgiving of staff mistakes, even after improvement and correction.
  27. I will not avoid face to face communication, by always using email and other impersonal communication methods.
  28. I will not practice analysis paralysis that inhibits progress from taking place.
  29. I will not ignore needed changes.
  30. I will not refuse to solicit feedback from staff.
  31. I will not fail to plan for the success of the organization.
  32. I will not fail to set a clear vision for the people and departments I have stewardships over.
  33. I will not be a poor example of execution and accountability, yet expect those behaviors from others.
  34. I will not interject myself into staff’s duties by doing things under their responsibility, without consulting with them.
  35. I will not fail to provide organized structure within the departments and staff I lead.
  36. I will have the confidence to take educated risks that could help the company reach its goals.
  37. I will not be a poor example of time management.
  38. I will not display deceitfulness or passive aggressive behavior.
  39. I will not try to please everyone, all the time. It’s just impossible.
  40. I will not fail to follow-up with staff.
  41. I will not lack the courage to lead.
  42. I will never encourage, practice, or listen to gossip.
  43. I will never exercise unethical business practices.
  44. I will not micromanage my staff.
  45. I will not fail to set aside time to properly plan for success.
  46. I will not fail to set aside time to reflect on problems, solutions, and progress being made.
  47. I will not act in a way that makes others feel like I am unable to take criticism.
  48. I will not fail to act and improve on received criticism or feedback.
  49. I will not fail to teach my staff about leadership, teamwork, time management, positive conflict, and other things to make them good leaders.
  50. I will not be egotistical or prideful.
  51. I will not ignore signs (signs of organizational problems, moral problems, etc…).
  52. I will not be disrespectful to staff.
  53. I will not fail to lead from the heart and take emotions into account.
  54. I will not diminish my ability to improve by not consistently learning and receiving coaching from others.
  55. I will not conduct ineffective meetings.
  56. I will not hoard my connections from staff that could help them have greater success with the proper introductions.
  57. I will not promote an environment that accepts the status-quo.
  58. I will not fail to promote an atmosphere of learning.
  59. I will not fail to create an environment of fun.
  60. I will not fail to support my staff and set them up for success.
  61. I will not manage by command and control.
  62. I will not emphasize anecdotal information over true data.
  63. I will not expect staff to just, “Figure it out.”
  64. I will not fail to manage and serve the most important aspect of an organization, the people!

Well there it is. What do you think? Is there anything that you would add? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

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Leadership Trait to Ponder: Focus

July 24, 2014 by

Leadership-Trait-Focus-Todd-NielsenToday the leadership trait to ponder is Focus.  The dictionary defines Focus as: the center of interest or activity; the state or quality of having or producing clear visual definition; to pay particular attention to. I believe the ability to focus is an important trait of a leader. Below are some of my favorite quotes to help inspire and illustrate Focus. As you read these quotes, think about how you can exemplify this leadership trait in yourself.

Quotes on Focus

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.” ~Aristotle Onassis

You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” ~Mark Twain

Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus.” ~Alexander Graham Bell

The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire not things we fear.” ~Brian Tracy

My focus is to forget the pain of life. Forget the pain, mock the pain, reduce it. And laugh.” ~Jim Carrey

I don’t focus on the critics. Everyone who is making any difference in any field has critics. As long as I feel like I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, then I don’t worry about it.” ~Joel Osteen

Live life to the fullest, and focus on the positive.” ~Matt Cameron

Your destiny is to fulfill those things upon which you focus most intently. So choose to keep your focus on that which is truly magnificent, beautiful, uplifting and joyful. Your life is always moving toward something.” ~Ralph Marston

When you focus on life, on enjoying and connecting with other people, that’s when work comes.” ~Alia Shawkat

The sun’s energy warms the world. But when you focus it through a magnifying glass it can start a fire. Focus is so powerful!” ~Alan Pariser

What do you think about when you ponder the leadership trait of Focus? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

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64 Promises That Every Leader Should Make

July 22, 2014 by

Leadership-Promises-Todd-NielsenI have come to believe that as leaders we need to make promises to ourselves and to those we lead. Earlier this year as I was working on a project, I thought to myself, “What are the promises I make as a leader?” I have always had ideals and ways of doing things, but I had never written them out as promises and made them official. I thought about this for quite some time and after a while I came up with this list of 64 promises that leaders should make.

I believe it is fairly encompassing; although probably not a complete list, nor is it in order of importance, per se. You might ask where “64” came from, that’s just where I ended.  This list may not be perfectly suited to you, if not start your own list, and see where you end up.

I hope you enjoy this and it gives you a lot to think about. Here it goes:

  1. I promise to serve others.
  2. I promise to manage issues head-on.
  3. I promise to be a great teacher.
  4. I promise to hold effective meetings.
  5. I promise to find and create efficiencies.
  6. I promise to have and help others have an innovation mindset.
  7. I promise to be crystal clear about expectations.
  8. I promise to provide consistent coaching and feedback.
  9. I promise to never stop asking questions.
  10. I promise to build teamwork and leadership acumen among everyone under my stewardship.
  11. I promise to never stop learning.
  12. I promise to commit myself to excellence.
  13. I promise to be ethical and honest.
  14. I promise to inspire others.
  15. I promise to listen.
  16. I promise to acknowledge and celebrate successes.
  17. I promise to create some fun.
  18. I promise to be transparent and self-aware.
  19. I promise to own-up to my responsibilities and failures.
  20. I promise that I will make mistakes; but I will own up to them, and learn from them.
  21. I promise to lead by example.
  22. I promise to learn what really motivates the individuals under my stewardship.
  23. I promise to make culture, a priority.
  24. I promise to not offload responsibility
  25. I promise to delegate effectively.
  26. I promise to build trust.
  27. I promise to be authentic and vulnerable.
  28. I promise to plan for success.
  29. I promise to manage my time effectively and teach that skill to others.
  30. I promise to tell good stories to illustrate and inspire.
  31. I promise to really care for the people under my stewardship.
  32. I promise to defend the company’s values.
  33. I promise to always speak well of company leadership.
  34. I promise to anticipate problems and find solutions.
  35. I promise to find efficiency through better processes development.
  36. I promise to be organized.
  37. I promise to be detail oriented.
  38. I promise to communicate the company vision, goals, and key messages.
  39. I promise to be realistic about deliverables.
  40. I promise to support and push those under my stewardship to achieve more.
  41. I promise to manage the consequences of poor performance.
  42. I promise to be humble.
  43. I promise to not only lead, but also to follow.
  44. I promise to give credit to those that have done good things.
  45. I promise to simplify the complicated.
  46. I promise to be personable and approachable.
  47. I promise to say no when appropriate in order to not create burdens.
  48. I promise to say yes most of the time and then empower and lead my teams to create success.
  49. I promise to grow others.
  50. I promise to build cohesiveness among cross-functional teams.
  51. I promise to communicate, communicate, and communicate some more.
  52. I promise to be a change agent to displace inefficiencies.
  53. I promise to encourage creativity.
  54. I promise to be passionate about what we are doing.
  55. I promise to have a positive attitude.
  56. I promise to take everything in stride.
  57. I promise to try new things.
  58. I promise to reward results.
  59. I promise to create “structures” that create confidence.
  60. I promise to create career paths and opportunities for those under my stewardship.
  61. I promise to “take one for the team” if that is what it takes.
  62. I promise to get my hands dirty.
  63. I promise to be goal oriented.
  64. I promise to keep my promises.

Well there it is. What do you think? Is there anything that you would add? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

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Leadership Trait to Ponder: Adaptability

July 17, 2014 by

adaptability-leadership-traitToday the leadership trait to ponder is Adaptability.  The dictionary defines Adaptability as: the ability to change (or be changed) to fit changed circumstances; the ability to change your ideas or behavior so that they are suitable for different conditions, a new environment, or in order to deal with a new situation successfully. Below are some of my favorite quotes to help inspire and illustrate Adaptability. As you read these quotes on Adaptability, think about how you can exemplify this leadership trait in yourself.

Quotes on Adaptability

All living things contain a measure of madness that moves them in strange, sometimes inexplicable ways. This madness can be saving; it is part and parcel of the ability to adapt. Without it, no species would survive.” ~Yann Martel

It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change.” ~Charles Darwin

Set patterns, incapable of adaptability, of pliability, only offer a better cage. Truth is outside of all patterns.” ~Bruce Lee

If you’re not stubborn, you’ll give up on experiments too soon. And if you’re not flexible, you’ll pound your head against the wall and you won’t see a different solution to a problem you’re trying to solve.” ~Jeff Bezos

All failure is failure to adapt, all success is successful adaptation.” ~Max McKeown

Adaptability is about the powerful difference between adapting to cope and adapting to win.” ~Max McKeown

Tactics, fitness, stroke ability, adaptability, experience, and sportsmanship are all necessary for winning.” ~Fred Perry

The art of life is a constant readjustment to our surroundings.” ~Kakuzo Okakaura

Adaptability is not imitation. It means power of resistance and assimilation.” ~Mahatma Gandhi

What do you think about when you ponder Adaptability? Please share your thoughts in the comments section!

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Leadership, Do You Seek Excellence Only in Extremes?

June 17, 2014 by

leadership-extremesWhen we picture leadership, we often visualize strength, courage and boldness. All worthy traits. Yet great leadership also has its roots in listening, understanding, perspective, good judgment, and balance. This moderation provides a solid base of support for bold leaps that  prevent disasters.

Some leaders focus mostly on the elements of strength and boldness because they mistakenly believe that moderation means mediocrity, (It doesn’t!)  As they seek excellence only through extremes, they destabilize the organization with wild swings and are surprised when the business slides.

Moderation doesn’t mean mediocrity. It’s a balanced approach that builds a strong base of support for bold leaps!”

Leadership:  Do You Seek Excellence Only in Extremes?

As you assess your leadership style, take a deeper look at where you might be falling into these dangerous extremes.

 1. The Myopia of Metrics. Are you leading from metrics? Are you measuring everything in the belief that if you can’t measure it, your organization will have mediocre performance? Metrics are valuable but an extreme view of metrics leads the organization down a dangerous road.

You will lose productivity measuring things that aren’t worth measuring. Your view will be skewed to the comfort of metrics. You will breed a status quo work culture that is afraid of change and innovation because the data isn’t there to prove it’s OK to step into the new.

Everything than can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted.”
~Albert Einstein

Lead from vision and use metrics as one indicator of success. Remember to tap diverse experience, engage employee talent, exercise critical thinking, and use committed action to make the vision come to life. Moderating all these elements is the good judgment of great leadership.

2. The bomb of boldness. Sometimes bold risks pay off. Boldness can also bomb out when it is actually self-absorbed tunnel vision. Leading without any feedback puts you all in a bubble that can suddenly burst.  Acting purely through hunches is leadership folly. Silencing diverse views detours you from realistic optimism to dreamy-eyed denial.

Have a bold vision. Inspire all to work toward it. Ask and engage great questions, tap critical thoughts and experience. Address the change resistant pessimistic naysayers with clear communication. Yet never confuse great action-oriented questions with complaining. They are distinctly different. Moderating all these factors minimizes risk.

3. The burn of bluntness. When high level leaders interact with their direct reports who are also leaders, they often use the extreme form of honesty — bluntness — and it is  accepted. The premise is that it cuts through obstacles to reach excellence more quickly.

When you use the same bluntness on team members at the staff level, it burns and inflicts emotional scars.  It leaves employees cautious and less willing to engage and take risks. This is not a path to excellence.

Some leaders react to this response by labeling employees as too sensitive. They tell them to toughen up and not take things personally else the organization will wallow in feelings.  How ironic it is that this view is, itself, a feeling not a fact.

The truth is that the more authority and direct responsibility you have for success, the easier it is to accept bluntness.  You can see the bluntness as protective and helpful. You also feel empowered to make changes to prevent additional blunt barbs.  The further you are from the responsibility and authority, the more the bluntness feels like criticism and disdain.

Leaders, moderate your approach to deal with this truth.  With staff, speak honestly with care not blunt with emotion.  Honesty is the key. An example: “Stop being so slow and lazy” is blunt with emotion. “I need you to move more quickly on this …” is honesty with care.

Moderation does not slow excellence. It doesn’t block success. It simply counterbalances risk. It builds a strong base of support out of awareness, information, broad understanding, and critical thinking.  From there, the bold leaps that you make are far more likely to produce excellence and success.

What other extremes detour success & how do you moderate them? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

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Won’t the real YOU please stand up? – Authentic Leadership

June 13, 2014 by

Authentic-LeaderAll any of us want deep down is to be ourselves and to know that those with whom we have a working relationship are the real deal, what to expect from them and that we can trust them.

The Corporate Metamorphosis – It’s 6:00am Monday morning and you’re washing away the last thoughts of the weekend when you were a mother, a father, a partner, the laugh of the party, the bookworm, the sports coach for the local kids’ team. You set your hair in stone, select your corporate power suit, and then in the time between waltzing out your front gate and marching through the revolving glass door, the transition’s complete; you’ve morphed into the corporate you, your corporate avatar. Subconsciously, you manage your avatar, carefully removing unfortunate traces of personality that conflict with the corporate image you wish to project – the image you believe is expected of you and most guaranteed for success.

News Flash – this image is a waste of valuable time and energy. It’s the real you they want, and it’s the real you that is the best manager you can be.

Authentic Leadership

Authentic Leadership is not disguising yourself to suit a role, it’s using your strengths and weaknesses to connect openly. A centuries-old awareness, the ancient Greeks knew the importance and value of Authentic Leadership: Socrates words, “Know thyself”[i], implored us more than 2000 years ago to learn/discover all we could about ourselves on the path to our ultimate destination.

Leadership success is derived from, open and honest relationships, genuine appreciation and valuation of the input of followers, and commitment to ethical management. Authentic leaders build trust and engender employee engagement through the relationships they build with their team.

“Authentic leaders are self-aware and genuine. Authentic leaders are self-actualized individuals who are aware of their strengths, their limitations, and their emotions. They also show their real selves to their followers. They do not act one way in private and another in public; they don’t hide their mistakes or weaknesses out of fear of looking weak. They also realize that being self-actualized is an endless journey, never complete.”[ii]

Great leaders transition from weekend to weekday seamlessly, not fearing vulnerability, failure or even success.

What Characterises an Authentic Leader?

Authentic leaders lead to their fullest potential, maximising the value in relationships and looking forward to a future with shared success. Authenticity is no simple achievement, and carries no guarantee of great leadership, but is well worth the effort. You need first to understand yourself before you can play to your strengths.

Authentic leaders:

  • put team goals ahead of their own personal aspirations. The team’s success is their success. When the group wins, the leader stands on the podium alongside team mates.
  • act with their heart and intuition. They are comfortable with and not afraid or ashamed to display their emotions.
  • tell it like it is, but with empathy. They’re willing to give you the real, sometimes tough message, but leave you knowing where you stand.
  • focus both on present and future goals, weathering the storm now with the vision to look to the calm seas and potential ahead.
  • have strong self-awareness, critically considering the impact of their behaviour on others.

“He was always impatient and quick to anger. When people brought bad news, he would attack the messanger.so people stopped telling him things. He had no idea he frightened people.

She videotaped him in action and then replayed the tape for him, pointing out the effect his habitual forbidding facial expression had on people. It was a revelation: “when he realised how he was coming across, he got tears in his eyes, ”…[iii]

Recently I undertook the Life Styles Inventory (LSI), a review of my leadership behavioural and thinking styles. The LSI revealed my opinion/perception of my leadership behaviours/thinking patterns was very close to that of my reports, peers and managers, telling me my behaviour is authentic, the real me. It doesn’t automatically make me a great manager. I could behave like a complete prat, know it and have my team know it. That would be authentic. And I wasn’t free of opportunities for improvement by any means, but I am aware of them and have ideas/actions for improving my patterns of behaviour and thought.

Sorry – There’s No Leadership Blueprint

When developing personal relationships with other people, as a friend or a partner, we take the time to get to know the real them. We develop rapport, mutual trust, and identify and align our values. We team with them. The most effective personal and working relationships are formed on this basis.

There is no perfect leader or leadership blueprint. There are, however, many great leaders, with many and varied characteristics that reflect their individual personalities.

“During the past 50 years, leadership scholars have conducted more than 1,000 studies in an attempt to determine the definitive styles, characteristics, or personality traits of great leaders. None of these studies has produced a clear profile of the ideal leader. Thank goodness. If scholars had produced a cookie-cutter leadership style, individuals would be forever trying to imitate it. They would make themselves into personae, not people, and others would see through them immediately.”[iv]

You know what? It’s more than ok just to be you. Please share your thoughts in the comments section.

 

[i] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_thyself

[ii] http://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinkruse/2013/05/12/what-is-authentic-leadership/#./?&_suid=139864930292908536648577576342

[iii] Goleman, D 1999, Working with Emotional Intelligence, Bloomsbury Publishing, London

[iv] http://hbr.org/2007/02/discovering-your-authentic-leadership/ar/1

 

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