"The three greatest leaders of the 20th Century were Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. If that's leadership, I want no part of it," said Peter Drucker, world renown management author and consultant who wrote the book, “Managing in Turbulent Times”, first published in 1985, who died on November 11, 2005 at the age of 95.
Of 462 executives who were asked, "What characteristics are needed to be an effective leader today?" 56 percent ranked ethical behavior as an important characteristic, followed by sound judgment (51%) and being adaptable/flexible (47%).Source: American Management Association, New York, NY
In effective businesses or organisations, most employees operate on a continuum somewhere between compliance and commitment. Compliance can be enforced in a number of ways through rules, procedures, threats, and bribes, just to name a few. But compliance has serious limitations. It is seldom associated with innovation, breakthrough or exceptional performance.
Commitment, on the other hand, knows virtually no bounds. Most forms of organisational capacity, power, and competitive advantage are generated by commitment. But commitment springs only from the heart. It can't be coerced or legislated.
Commitment is an emotional response, a response that almost always results from a meaningful connection - a relationship.
Good leadership is a covenant: a promise to work in harmony for the common good. When you accept the call to lead, you assume responsibility for the common good of employees, customers, and the stakeholders that the business touches.
Effective leadership is an interactive conversation that pulls people toward becoming comfortable with the language of personal responsibility and commitment.
Leadership development is not an event. It is a process of participating in respectful conversations where the leader recognizes his or, her own feelings and those of others in building safe and trusting relationships.
Albert Einstein once said, "We should take care not to make the intellect our god; it has, of course, powerful muscles but no personality. It cannot lead; it can only serve."
With thanks to Coach2Coach e-newsletter, February 18, 2009
