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: 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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The Top 4 Attributes Every Leader Should Embody

March 29, 2013 by

The-Top-4-Attributes-Every-Leader-Should-Embody-Paul-JolicoeurSometimes leaders get to stand in the lime light, marching forward in a triumphant pursuit of excellence and performance. Sometimes leadership requires standing in the shadows to support those closest to you.

Leadership is about influence and accomplishing tasks while utilizing the gifts of those you lead. This should look in part, as if the leader is serving those around them.

One of the greatest lessons I have learned on leadership and one of the greatest areas of accountability for myself is this:

Leaders set the example of ideal.”- Paul Jolicoeur Tweet this!

When people look at you, they are seeing the template of what is expected of them. Be the template you want to see reproduced.

When I am looking to recruit new leaders into the areas I manage I ask myself a simple question.  Would I want the people this person leads to be just like them?

If the answer is yes, then we move on. If the answer is no, we have a red flag.

This is not about perfection. No one is perfect and we can’t wait around to do anything until someone is.

With that in mind, here are 4 areas in which every leader should set the example in to their team.

1. Attitude

If you want positive team members that are looking for innovative ways to solve problems and enjoy what they do and who they do it with, start with you.

Your attitude is contagious, what do you want your team to catch?

You want them to stay positive and encouraging, not negative and destructive. Display the attitude you expect from them.

2. Personal Discipline

Stagnant water begins to stink. It gradually becomes unusable. A team member that stops growing will become marginalized, demoralized and eventually unusable.

Look for ways to help your team members grow.

Be a lifelong learner yourself, read books, listen to podcasts, take classes and attend conferences. Start by setting some goals for your year.  We are all motivated by the growth we see in others.

Be a motivating force for your team.

When they see you making the effort to learn and become a better you, they will be challenged to do the same.

3. Time Management

You should be showing up on time and utilizing your time well. When you spend too much time at work doing things that are not work related, your team will follow suit. You will have given them permission to waste time.

If they see you working hard, staying focused and managing your time well, you will motivate them to do the same.

4. Work Ethic

You expect those that report to you to get their work done. You want them to put their best effort into everything they do.

We expect others to give their best effort, that is why you recruited them and want to work with them.

It will be very difficult for them to perform like this if they don’t see you doing the same. If you aren’t working hard you will debilitate your team and bring their work ethic down.

We can only expect from others, what we ourselves are willing to model.

Whatever standard you set will become their highest standard. Leadership is a gift and we must steward it well.

In what other areas do you believe a leader should be the example of ideal? 

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Culture trumps Strategy in Business Success

March 11, 2013 by

Strategy-in-Business-Success-Heidi-Alexandra-PollardEvery business has a culture – some are inspiring and healthy, others are crippling and toxic. The level of an organization efficiency and wellness is a direct reflection of its culture.

Traditional corporate cultures are no longer adequate to succeed in the new world of business. Cultures that originated in the era of the industrial revolution are now obsolete precisely because they discourage learning, change and innovation.

A huge demand exists for a new type of culture in our organizations today in order to become productive, profitable and sustainable well into the future.

Why culture is critical

Workplace wellness isn’t just a factor of the employees fitness or BMI ratings, it is particularly characterized by how motivated, inspired and engaged the workforce are to do great work. Key indicators of healthy workplaces are the presence of creativity and innovation and an energy of possibility – which all result in a positive, sustainable culture.

Unhealthy cultures tend to devalue creativity, stifle innovation and leave their workers feeling miserable and frustrated, stuck in the rut of the daily grind and stressed by the demands of productivity they no longer have the energy to face. Managers tend to create these cultures by discouraging new ideas, frowning on change and stymieing enthusiasm. The result, major disengagement that sucks the life out of the organization and its people.

The best culture is a UQ culture       

While understanding and managing culture is fundamental to success, for many organizations, the idea of going down the road of a ‘cultural change’ initiative is too daunting. It needn’t be. It is possible to convert low-engagement teams and cultures into engaged, high-performance UQ Cultures with some intent and a slight shift focus.

In UQ (Uniqueness Quotient) Cultures there is a subtle shift to WHO people are rather than WHAT they do. That is, WHO they are is more important than WHAT they do. A strong UQ culture shapes how employees perform and gives them a strong sense of purpose.

What is a UQ culture?  It’s one that is powered by an inner force, it’s who they are and why they do what they do, it’s one that has a unique, competitive edge. In today’s crowded marketplace organizations need to be able to stand out as Unique and different from their competition with a unique brand. A strong UQ culture is the key to setting a business apart from its competition and ultimately attracting and retaining high quality employees to grow with the organization.

With companies large and small competing for the same global talent pool, a UQ Culture will set them apart and deliver tangible, measurable benefits to any business.

Micro-managers Kill Culture

Micro-managers or Container Managers are those managers who find it hard to let go of the reins, to trust the team and get out of the way. In some ways, this is counter-intuitive and atypical of traditional role models and therefore understandable, however in high performing UQ Cultures there is always more macro managing than there is micro-management.

Container Managers are typically good at doing what has to be done. They are good at dealing with facts and not letting their emotions or other people’s emotions get in the way of making a decision. They are great at developing procedures, implementing plans, and no-one can do the job as good as they can. However, their tendency to hold onto decision-making and undertake jobs that could be delegated is not conducive to the creation of a UQ culture full of motivated, inspired, and engaged staff.

Container managers are typically responsible for the bottleneck in organizations, where innovation is stymied and ideas are shelved. They may be producing revenue and results however they rarely create a leadership pipeline, are reliant on the command and control approach and can ill-afford time off as their teams become co-dependent. This approach may have worked in 1965 but it will not allow a company to survive in 2020.

The New Leadership Alternative

One way for organizations to begin to shape and construct a more positive and productive UQ culture is to start with its managers and leaders – importantly with those in linchpin positions – in middle management.

In their book Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter, Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown discuss how great leaders extract at least two times more capability from their people than poor leaders.

A UQ culture is one that does just that by turning managers into Expander Leaders who live by the motto that you have to give power to empower.

Expander Leaders value inclusiveness and participation, they hand over the decision-making process, and let their employees govern themselves. Expander Leaders deal with the facts, but also consider how it impacts people. They listen to their employees, realize their strengths, tap into their potential, and include them in the growth of business.

Expander leaders create healthy relationships, a caring environment and an openness to trying new things which brings out best in their team. By appreciating others, engaging in purposeful conversations and helping their people to find work they love to do, they create driven, loyal employees who are engaged and energized, and want to make a valuable contribution to the organization and go the extra mile.

Essentially, it takes an attitude of figuring out how best to serve the teams, rather than asking the teams to best serve you. ~Heidi Alexandra Pollard Tweet this!

Expander leaders create UQ Cultures by:

  • Telling their people WHAT needs to be done and WHY but letting them figure out HOW
  • Not shooting them down for any crazy ideas, instead COACHING them to find ways to improve or refine their ideas
  • Treating their people as human BEINGS not DOINGS and getting to know their Uniqueness and what makes them tick
  • Not only TELLING them what to do all the time, instead ASKING them how they envision the future and how they would create a more successful, sustainable company.
  • Encouraging rebellion, creativity and risk-taking
  • Recognizing and rewarding achievement, progress and innovative behaviors

Do you consider yourself an Expander Leader? In what way have you contributed to your team? Share your thoughts below.

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4 Steps To Avoiding the “F” Word & Meaningless Leadership

January 25, 2012 by

Meaningless LeadershipFrancis Chan stated so eloquently stated,”Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” The depth of truth in that statement gives me goose-bumps. Oh how often we find ourselves, succeeding at the things we are good at and never pushing ourselves try different and greater things that will really matter in our lives, our companies and our relationships.

There is a difference in achieving something that took a lot of effort and achieving something that is meaningful, great, and lasting. I have thought about this and wondered how can I determine if a goal I have really matters.

Avoiding Meaningless Goals & Meaningless Leadership

Work through the following steps, to determine if a goal you have is really meaningful and to avoid meaningless leadership in your organization:

  1. Will this goal contribute to my long-term success?
  2. Will achieving this goal make me (a better leader, a better spouse, a better manager….etc…)?
  3. Talk with friends, coaches, family, subordinates and colleagues and ask them if the goal you are making is meaningful and really matters. This is especially important if your goal effects them.
  4. Ask yourself, if nothing held me back, is there a goal that is higher on the same ladder that will be more meaningful? Don’t short-change yourself by not pushing hard enough.

These steps, while simple will push you beyond a stretch. Meaningful often means harder, but not necessarily, but the rewards are hugely greater if you achieve a meaningful goal and create meaningful leadership successes. It is better to work hard and fail inches from a hard meaningful goal, than to succeed at tiny meaningless goals.

So don’t be afraid of the “F” word, FAILURE, be afraid of setting meaningless goals for yourself or your organization, for with meaningless goals, comes meaningless leadership.

Setting Meaningful Goals t0 Avoid Meaningless Leadership

I recommend reading The Ultimate Personal Success Plan and follow the 4 steps listed above to get on the path of creating goals that will be meaningful to you, your organizations, and your relationships.

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So, now that you’ve read this article, how are you going to use this information to bring more meaning to your goal achievement and avoid meaningless goals and meaningless leadership?

Please take a moment and share your ideas in the comments section below, share this with your social media friends, and subscribe to receive A Slice of Leadership notices, as well as occasional leadership advice, articles, tips and freebies.
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A Successful Leaders Guide To Getting Lucky

January 18, 2012 by

Successful LeadersHave you ever been envious of successful leaders? Have you ever wondered why all the good things happen to them? Have you ever questioned yourself and thought, “why can’t I be as  lucky as those successful leaders?” Do you wonder why good things happen to those successful leaders and why good fortune seems to follow them around?

The Secret of Successful Leaders

Well, I will tell you the secret of successful leaders …they get lucky because they do the work to create opportunities that appear to others as luck. Yeah, it is not really luck is it. Shamrocks, rainbows, and rabbit feet will not make successful leaders. Luck comes from creating opportunies that come to us as we get out of our comfort zone, take risks, and do the work that is necesary to create those opportunities.

I realized this week that as hard as my personal success plan is for me, there was something I still was not doing. I was not getting out of my comfort zone and creating opportunites. My personal success plan is hard for sure. I have a ton of goals and they require a large amount of discipline and focus to achieve. But therein lies the problem, I am doing a bunch of things, but very few of them require me to get out of my comfort zone, they just require me to work harder. There is no doubt that they will make me better, but “better” has never really been good enough for me.

A Successful Leaders Takeway to Creating Luck

So I challenge all you leaders, wheter you consider yourself a successful leader or not, to dig deep, figure out what you want to achieve and what opportunies you could create by stepping out and doing one thing everyday that will help to bring greater success. Keep at it, keep at it, and sooner or later, you’ll get lucky too, because as Elmer Leterman said, “Luck is what happens when preparation, meets opportunity.”

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So, now that you’ve read this article, how are you going to use this information to create “luck?”

Please take a moment and share your ideas in the comment section below, share this with your social media friends, and subscribe to receive A Slice of Leadership notices, and occasional leadership advice, articles, tips and freebies.
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The Leadership / Parenting Analogy

January 5, 2012 by

LeadershipI recently heard a poem, that while amazingly simplistic, held a very powerful message about parenthood. But later, when I found the text of the poem online and read it, I was amazed at the how the same message could ring true to leadership and management. I am fascinated at the intricacy of leadership and the lessons that can be pulled from all walks of life, including as in this case, parenthood.

The poem below is called “Children Learn What They Live” by Dorothy Law Nolte, PH.D. As you read this replace the word children, with employees, and see how closely leadership parrallels to parenthood.

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Comparing Leadership to Parenting

I know all these attributes do not necessarily align with employment traits. But I sure would rather manage and lead the employees that were raised by parents that taught the positive attributes, than the negative ones. Additionally, if your leadership style follows the practices of the negative traits in this poem, it is scary to see what kind of employee you might be developing.

Other Good Leadership Reading

You might also read “How To Be A Horrible Leader – 50 Bad Leadership Traits“, which would be a good read after reading this post.

One of my favorite books on parenting is called Parenting Kids: To Become the People Employers Really Want and… America Desperately Needs! by Charles Fay Ph.D.

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So, now that you’ve read this article, how are you going to use this information to bring greater leadership to your or your organization? Or perhaps greater parenthood to your family?

Please take a moment and share your ideas in the comments section below, share this with your social media friends, and subscribe to receive A Slice of Leadership notices, as well as occasional leadership advice, articles, tips and freebies.
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Never Underestimate The Lowly Peasant In Front Of You

October 10, 2011 by

I was at a couple conferences recently and a familiar topic came to mind, that is the value of those you network with.  The reason why this topic stuck with me because I had an interesting conversation with the CEO of an association that serves the IT industry.  There was an exclusive party for technology vendors and sponsors at this conference. I was invited by one of the technology vendors.  I was just a guy that had recently resigned and was looking for other opportunities.  I guess to the lay person, I was an unemployed nobody.  As with any party, I circled the room and talked with people about what they did and what companies they were from.  I met some fascinating people.

During the party, I ran into the CEO of the association that was putting on the conference. I congratulated him on the event and engaged in small talk. He then asked who I was and who I was with. When I explained that I was not with anyone and that I had recently resigned and was looking for other opportunities, he kind of shook his head, chewed some food and non-chalently turned around and started talking with someone else.  I stood there in in awe at this experience.

I don’t consider myself prideful, but later I thought to myself. Does he realize I run the largest IT operations oriented peer group with CEO’s from 3 continents? Does he realize I have almost 10,000 social media connections, of which at least two-thirds, work in the IT industry?  Does he realize that I write guest articles for an IT Industry Channel blog that is read by thousands of IT executives? Does he realize I have been asked to speak at several IT industry events in the coming year that will be attended by thousands of IT executives? Does he realize I have a book that will be published soon by a major publisher? Does he realize I was invited by one of the vendors paying him money to be there?

No, my head is not getting big. I guess to the lay person, I am an unemployed nobody. But who knows where I will be in a few years and what kind of influence, good or bad, that I could have on his association. I have often heard people say that they only connect with fellow peers of equal or greater position. I always respond that I connect with just about everyone (I have a few moral exceptions).  I tell them, that I will connect with people from other industries, because someday the IT industry could drastically change(i.e. Cloud Computing).  I explain that I will connect with an entry-level technician, or customer service rep., because one day I may need to hire one, and one day that person might be CEO of their own company. I will connect with an artist, because I might need one (I have), or any just about any other person, because you never know who they know. Perhaps they are the son of a Board member that will make a decision about having me come into the company.

The point I am trying to make goes back to the golden rule.  Treat others as you would like to be treated. Treat others with respect and interest, because you never know when you may need their help or when another might help you for no other reason than, they can. 

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The Anti-List of Leadership Qualities

June 24, 2011 by

NO, this is not another list of qualities you must have in order to be a great leader.  There are numerous books, articles and blog posts written about the qualities that make up a leader… they drive me crazy.  Whenever I see these I cringe.   They seem to describe this fantastical immortal persona of which none of us will ever be worthy to eat the crumbs off their cloud of perfection, let alone achieve their glorious state of existence.

These lists, if looked at the wrong way, can be demoralizing as we measure ourselves against them.  To the small business owner, manager, executive or well….human being, these lists can be, misleading and squash one’s own leadership traits and styles into a mold that may not work for them or their organization.

There are many different kinds of leaders with often opposing traits.  I will not mention any names, but there have been great leaders, in the technical sense of the word, that have been downright immoral, even evil, yet have carried the many of the qualities that many would accept as being attached to a great leader.  On the adverse side of that there have been many great leaders that posessed many negative qualities that would normally be attached to a leader.

Additionally there are many leaders that have leadership qualities that might seem contradictory to many of the accepted leadership qualities that exist, yet they lead thriving organizations and employ thousands of people.  If a leader were to be dishonest in their personal affairs, have poor tact, be selfish, overly assertive, yet employ tens of thousands of successful people and produce a product or service that benefits society, does that mean they are a bad leader?  While reversing those attributes to be more positive “might” make them a better leader, they are still successful and may even carry great respect among the individuals they lead.

I saw an article that listed enthusiasm as a necesary quality of great leaders.  Would that attribute be helpful for a funeral director?  I read an article that listed openness as a necesary quality.  Would that serve as a benefical quality to a goverment military leader?  I saw another article that listed patience.  Would that serve the director of a hospital emergency room?

Another aspect of leadership qualities is that they can be thrust onto non-leaders who are then labeled as leaders.  I recently watched a video on the Internet about leadership and it featured Tiger Woods as a great leader because he had vision and determination.  Huh?  Just because an individual possesses important qualities of success, does not mean they are a leader.

I think a person can be a great leader with the right quality at the right time for the right organization and still be failing with many other leadership traits.  An effective leader, focuses on his/her strengths and surrounds themselves with people that can fill in the weaknesses.

So the next time you see a leadership quality list, I would challenge you to focus on strengthening what you are good at and then to selectively pick the attributes that you feel will be beneficial to your organization and then work on improving them.  Don’t be overwhelmed because you are not a perfect Boy Scout.  Focus on what you do have and make sure what you have is what the organization needs.

I’d love to hear your thoughts below.

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