ISSUE 35 - 25 MOST IMPORTANT LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS FEEDBACK

Today's leaders have a much larger role in the overall success of a company, compared to previous generations of leaders.  Have you ever thought about how much attention is focused on you and the other leaders in your organization?  As promised, we have listed below the numerous feedback comments we received from our readers, as well as our own list.  Hope you find value from the input!

OUR READERS COMMENTS: Lives the organizational core values. Integrity (both ethical/moral perspective, gives and keeps his/her word). Sets the vision for the organization. Communicates and gains buy-in for the vision. Seeks complementary talent -- different strengths, same values. Serves (it's not about him/her). Life-long learner. Creates an environment for success. Lives a balanced life. Seeks counsel but makes the tough decisions. Sets and achieves goals. Listens. Self confident (this does not mean a big ego). Honesty - not only with speaking the truth, but in seeking the truth (don't shoot the messenger). Read the bills, proposals, etc. you create before you sign them into law. (Larry is this a political commentary?) Don't keep trying to pass the buck! Take responsibility for actions -- good or bad! Be accountable to yourself, those who have placed you in a position of leadership, and those that your actions impact. Communicate not just what others want to hear, but the TRUTH! Leadership is not about "ME", it is about leading. Respect for others. Communicate at all levels. Be available. Really listen and comprehend, rather than just hear. Ask questions to dig for real intelligence. Be ready to risk your position to do what is right, not what will keep you in your position, necessarily. Performance based rewards -- no free lunch. Leadership is not another word for entitlement. Guidance systems like vision, mission and constitutions are there for the common good and establish the intent of the law to allow for growth, success and tranquility -- use them, don't figure out creative ways to enact laws to work around them in special interest groups. (Larry, once again -- political?) Patience. Wait for the rest. (Jerry's remarks: Interesting idea that sometimes leaders charge down the hall, forgetting that leading is different than running ahead) If too difficult, see patience above! Ability to make others believe in you. Promote loyalty and trust and people will follow. Confidence. Wisdom. Good moral character. The ability to "walk the walk" and "talk the talk."  Good leaders are not above what they ask of those following them. Courageousness. Unselfishness. Proactive/forward thinking. The model I've found to be most useful in defining critical leadership behaviors comes from Kouzes' and Posner's The Leadership Challenge.  In their research, they concluded that leaders, when they are performing at their best, exhibit five key behaviors:  They inspire a shared vision, they challenge the process, they model the way, they enable others to act, and they encourage the heart. AND, one of the most interesting comments we received..."Letting go the ego-driven need to have all the answers and instead asking the right questions to get the answers from your people."

Thanks to our readers for these comments!  And now...here are the behaviors we would like to share from our friends at RAC...

1.   Being a role model for integrity and ethics.            2.   Demonstrating optimism and positive energy.  3.   Learning the business you are in.  4.   Establishing a vision and mission.  5.   Setting strategies and priorities.  6.   Hiring great talent.  7.   Creating a culture of customer focus.  8.   Building a high performance team.  9.   Creating a motivating and inspiring environment for others. 10.  Delegating and empowering. 11.  Listening. 12.  Communicating with clarity. 13.  Driving for results. 14.  Managing and evaluating performance. 15.  Coaching and developing trust. 16.  Managing complexity and ambiguity. 17.  Managing your time. 18.  Evaluating risk. 19.  Resolving conflict. 20.  Driving innovation. 21.  Influencing others. 22.  Collaborating across the organization. 23.  Demonstrating passion for your work. 24.  Being a champion for work/life balance. 25.  Keeping things in perspective (humility and gratitude).

This has been a great exercise and we hope you feel the same way.  We are always eager to hear how our readers feel, so contact us at any time.  We promise to listen and provide feedback.

Have a Great Week!
Jerry