10 Steps Gutsy Leaders Take
- Avoiding conflict.
- Striving for certainty.
- Avoiding career risk. (Butt kissing)
- Lack of self-confidence.
- Lack of urgency.
- Protecting your turf.
Two results of wimpy leadership:
- Leaders that won’t make decisions and can’t turn people down create operational complexity.
- Insecure leaders that decide everything by consensus innovate slowly.
Ten steps gutsy leaders take:
- Devise demanding game plans to confront reality. Isolate one or two high impact organizational changes that confront reality. Develop vision, strategies, and measures that define success.
- Go with the best people. Create appraisal systems that identify performance levels. Aggressively develop top talent.
- Clean up operational sloppiness. Cut bureaucracy, minimize layers, and maximize spans of authority. Develop single points of responsibility with clear measures of success.
- Institutionalize tight-fisted cost control. Focus finances on high impact projects and minimize low impact, slow moving initiatives.
- Insist on functional excellence. Avoid order takers. Look for people with push back. Focus efforts for high impact.
- Create a culture of innovation. Constantly look for bright ideas that provide significant improvement. Protect innovators so they are free to fail.
- Demand accountability and decisiveness; avoid consensus. Spreading responsibility across several individuals encourages self-protective behaviors. Bad results can be spread across several people. Create single points of responsibility.
- Exploit inflection points. Watch for new technologies and emerging customers.
- Value ideas from anywhere. Embrace and honor good ideas regardless of their origin. However, partnerships with organizations outside your control may lower commitment.
- Shake up the organization. Bring in fresh talent and reorganize around new efforts.
The most important thing bold leaders do is devise demanding game plans that confront reality. The other nine principles support number one.
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Which gutsy step do you find most challenging?
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Taking people out of their comfort zone is important to me. In my field, education, comfort zones are a killer, they cause lack of innovation and hurt students more than we realize. As usual, great article.
I am totally cool with all of these concepts but the problem comes when several of them are in turn controlled by others higher up the food chain and they cannot see the upside. So, maybe there is an eleventh – deal fearlessly with your line manager!
Agreed – and I think an addition to that idea is “sell your ideas to those that need to approve it in order for it to happen.”
Overall, this is a good motivating leadership post. However, I disagree very strongly with the negative take on consensus. Consensus-building can be a very empowering and effective way to lead. You just have to know what it means.
Good leaders are able to bring organisations through changes, by bringing new people, or by bringing the best out of the people already in place, and are able to break, or minimize the resistance to such changes. It is foolish to expect different results if you keep doing the same things over and over again.
Dear Dan,
I find ” avoid career risk ( Butt kissing) is most challenging for most of the people. These kind of leaders go by consensus. It is very true.I believe the choice depends upon self belief. Whether you want to become ” Class” or “Mass”. And fortunately, it is our belief that decides whether we want to become gusty or real leader. The attitude of avoid career risk makes you to kissing up, boot licking and compromising with anything and everything. People who usually love taking decision, do not come under this category and they are leaders. There may face difficulty in short term but sooner or later overcome to achieve success in long term.
Exploiting of inflection point is a great point. It is practiced in the organizations that fosters creativity, values, ideas irrespective of sources of ideas. Layers and silos inhibit growth and expanding authority encourages decision making. Less layers enhances accountability and silo bridging helps leaders to take relevant and right decision. The leader who look for consensus do not encourage others to really useful, innovative and breakthrough ideas. They come out only with simple and obsolete ideas.
For me? #1. Identifying & devising the game plan is necessary and hard work. I work better in a team environment rather than an isolated one.
There is no status quo in leadership, you are either getting better or you’re getting worse. Both #1 and #2 speak to me as it might be easier to create a long term vision when you have the best people working with you. Hiring is so very important yet many people hire using Malcolm Gladwell’s “Thin slicing.” Impressions are made within the first thirty seconds and then people find ways to make their impressions ring true. Gotta hire the right people.
Your points are what makes the difference between a “leader” and someone who is merely “in charge”. Unfortunately this distinction is often not recognized, nor the fact that they are also mutually exclusive. It has been my experience that mistaking one for the other comes at the detriment of the organization and severely impacts staff.
great post, cheers.
Good leaders always attempt to go with hiring the best people…you can train for competence, but you can’t train integrity, character, and passion.
Avoiding conflict is a touchy one.
Conflict and disagreement are part of any thinking organization. Often, however, people find ways to get their way, either through hostility (bullying) or passive-aggressive measures (back-stabbing). This can make discussion and the intelligent back-and-forth that is essential for solid conflict resolution difficult if not nearly impossible in some organizations.
It can, be done, however. There’s lots of great stuff out there about handling conflict and communication in the workplace. If leaders can keep the conversations safe, nip the hostility in the bud and keep the conversation going, then the 10 action steps mentioned above can be taken.
Creating a culture of innovation is the most challenging, I believe. This one contains more intangibles to create and takes more time to develop. Formulating a culture of innovation involves developing the right principles, people, and processes as well as incentive structures. It is a more holistic approach, which is challenging – yet necessary – to do.
The one I have the hardest time with is embracing good ideas no matter where they come from. There are a few other managers in the company that I’ve almost written off because of a track record of bad choices, self-centered decision-making or lack of strategic focus. However, they’re managers because they showed somebody something at some point, so I shouldn’t just reject their ideas out of hand. As my wife says, I have a hard time suffering fools gladly. For that reason, when it comes to ideas I can easily throw the baby out with the bath water.
Leaders [must] do
— Discover and invest in your inner desires and drive
— Leadership demands some characteristics like – forgive your own mistakes fast – not allow a sense of negativity to takeup space in your mind and life.
— Leadership demands sticking to the dreams in the oddest paths, evaluate your decision in the present based on how it will impact the future.
–Give more and better than you are given
— Not strive to be or appear more than you really are but really embrace your own identity
–Make decisions without fear of other people’s reactions.
— Continually check “what can I do to make situation better”
“5.Insist on functional excellence. Avoid order takers. Look for people with push back. Focus efforts for high impact.” LOVE THIS POINT! Gutsy leaders realize that push back, when offered professionally and constructively, is part of the development process and usually results an improved outcome or process. Stepping outside of the “this is the way we’ve always done it” mentality offers opportunity for exponential improvement in results!
The world needs gutsy leaders. At least that’s my opinion and I hope the rest of the world agrees.
Peter – I completely agree! Without gutsy leaders, we’ve merely got well-intended organizers with a bunch of uninspired followers.
Number 7 had been difficult in our organization. So important to nail down who is in charge of a project so, not only is there someone responsible, the person working on it feels at liberty to take the bull by the horns and get the job done—because it is theirs. If they don’t do it, it doesn’t get done.
Great list. I’d add another, repeat yourself. Vince Lombardi when asked why his teams were so successful, even though they ran very simple plays responded, “It’s hard to be aggressive if you’re confused.”
So great leaders repeat themselves often to increase clarity, thereby increasing the aggressiveness of their entire organization.
Striving for certainty is my greatest area of opportunity.
Being a great leader takes only one specific team.
Believe in yourself, build great people around you, share your faith in all people and make your goal the greatest object it can be.
Throw it all over your shoulder and see what happens.
Seems easy? It is if you believe in yourself, always.
Pierre William Trudel
Thee Quest
P.S. Never be afraid to be afraid. It’s healthy.
Wow that is a gutsy list! I would have to say implementing a culture of innovation is most challenging because if too requires all 9 principles.
Great summary. It brings to minds some additional elements.
The 7th reason leaders wimp out:
Organizational blindness – they just missed that there was a need or opportunity to take action – shows lack of organizational awareness.
Result #3:
Leaders who solve problems by compromise because they are afraid to be bold and pursue both performance while deploying emotional intelligence create inadequate results, dissatisfaction, and will often see the conflict return.
Gutsy Step #11:
Create a culture of transparency where issues are explicitly identified and people feel safe to explain their hidden agendas. This step, along with several of the others creates a culture where performance and innovation can emerge.
Bold leaders enable people to perform their best. It’s a lesson from complexity science that says we can’t predict the future, but we can tweak the interactions and boundaries our people experience to enable them to be there best, to be creative & innovative, and to achieve ultimate performance.
I’m really interested in the Accountability process. Have been reading the OZ Principles…. Very difficult to enforce, but so valuable to a strong leader. Enjoyed seeing that in this list.
I’d like to propose a 7th reason: atrophy can sometimes equal job security. Sometimes (unfortunately) ppl can be incentivized to passively lead.
Exploit inflection points. Watch for new technologies and emerging customers is a challenge. Trying to find new technologies that fit within budgetary constraints is always a challenge, but when found, WOW! It is amazing at the change that can be felt throughout the organization.
A thought that hitting me hard this morning prior to reading this: “Thoughts brewing today: Dictator – It’s my way or the highway, only my way works. Leader – How can I make someone else better.” You hit some great points above and even some that challenged me personally. Thank you. Be Blessed.
Your last statement about confronting game plans was wonderful. Thank you for that.
There is a “threesome” of the ten steps that I think are challenging for a leader to implement giving weight to each three simultaneously. They are: (2) go with the best people, (10) shake up the organization, and (6) Create a culture of innovation, protecting innovators so they are “free to fail.”
I have seen big organizations claim to be solving a big organizational/ production issue by bringing in someone new, who, according to them, “is a real go-getter, has much experience with [name the issue] and can hit the ground running.” That is number 10, but the best people (2) aren’t always the new “bright and shiny stars” — sometimes they are talented people who for whatever reason have not had the opportunity or incentive to innovate (6).
It’s a triple threat of gutsiness!
Since my greatest challenge is lack of expertise in SEO and Social Media Marketing in general, I look at what the most successful people do and as far as I’m able, integrate their strategies with my own.
It takes time to learn the most efficient way to maximise your success, but even working alone it is possible to achieve enduring success, so long as you believe that what you’re doing is for the greater good.
I’d advise anyone to build strategic partnerships wherever possible, and to let people know you appreciate their help and support.
I find that building accountability and decisiveness is probably most challenging. This is primarily due to the requirement to incorporate an HR and/or Legal review for most new major initiatives. In our organization, even having a representative from one or both groups does little to speed the review process so we can launch/release new processes.
Most challenging – Institutionalising tight fisted cost control. Only because I see the high impact projects as being, at times, high risk. Getting the CFO over the line when it comes to training for Lean or EQ skills is not about money it is about faith – but it needs money. If this said “tight fisted strategy execution” or “project control” then I could, and would, buy it.
I have a strong aversion to “tight fisted cost control” but a strong sense of fiscal responsibility. I think before launching any project we have to ask ourselves and others “If this were your money is this the next place you would spend it?”
Glad you weighed in on this one Croadie, as I would add that even the perceived ‘low impact, slow moving initiatives’ have a place. One could cite the tortoise and the hare as an example. There are often standards and/or compliance initiatives, not the prettiest, but absolutely necessary for safety and to sloowly steer the ship in a good direction. To not fund that ‘ballast’ will sink your ship before it leaves the harbor.
Great post, Dan. Couldn’t agree more about the importance of decisive leaders.
This post is about being gutsy and willing to ruffle a feathers, and I love it! I find too often that many in my age category (30-35) are so afraid to challenge status quo and push innovative strategies with confidence to the forefront of the discussion. Being gutsy takes risk into account but isn’t diminished by fears or emotional baggage. Convictions are a wonderful thing and often that intuition can drive much needed change in an organization. You just have to have a strong foundation of self and willingness to employ accountability to clearly expressed expectations, and know where you want to land when all is said and done. Be willing to make tough decisions and gain input from trusted, wise advisors and partners.
A Leaders gets comfortable with being uncomfortable
Great list! What I love about your blog is that it not only helps leaders, it helps those of us BEING LED. All of us may strive to be leaders, but we are also all dealing with leaders, so it is extremely useful to get the flipside perspective. Thanks.
This article reminds me of how glad I am not to be working for corporate America anymore. I am in direct sales now, and lead a great group of 50 consultants and we foster brainstorming and idea sharing at our team meetings as well as our group facebook page, etc. It empowers people more than you know when you use one of their ideas (and give them full credit of course!).
I agree with the points listed. As a change agent involved in many turn arounds I can only contend they are consistent with my experience as well.
You can’t be afraid to make the hard decisions and when you do, move quickly. He who hesitates loses.
Addition by Subtraction: Over the course of my career, I have discovered a common misconception among managers: Activity = Action.
We don’t need consensus to make a decision, however, we do need consensus to execute. People who do not support the vision or strategy of the company are akin to resisters who will undermine it.
Excellent post Dan.
Innovation, #6 might be the most difficult to comprehensively implement and sustain. Sustain is the larger part of that, BTW. Leaders have loads of great ideas, following through is the challenge.
Innovation might go hand in hand with my #11, Celebrate failure. Where ever you organizationally on the continuum–command and control to laissez faire to partnership…what do you do with failure?
Blame?
Meh?
Lessons learned?
Because we are human, we can/will fail at certain things. That is the upside and downside at the same time. How we learn and what we learn will help us grow.
Hey Doc, i really picked up on your sustain part. Undoubtedly the hardest of all. My mental image of sustain is one of a moth flying toward the full moon. It has it’s ups and downs – but progress is in generally ascendent. If you really do keep trying is it logical that you must come across innovation? If you don’t come acros innovation is the truth that you are not really trying?
Best, Richard
Great visual Croadie, works very well…and speaks to enjoying the view while you are flying or just soaring on a breeze.
Now for us moths that get distracted by those other bright lights!
Enlightening list and comments, as well. I would add that I see many leaders not make decisions so they can “stay in the shadows and let others make the decision.” They do this because they fear that if they make the wrong decision, they will be fired. They’d rather that their colleagues lose their jobs instead of them. While this is a sad way to live and run a company, it happens all the time with non-empowering and supportive cultures.
None. Honestly. I think the difference may be I’ve worked in academia, non-profits, and City Hall in Boston==non-civil service. I’m not bossy, but if there’s a job to be done, I get it done. I’ve been lucky with staff. Gutsy? The Dean of a Law School asked me to build him a computer lab. Never took a class in my life, but hung out with the right people. Once it was built, I called the stationery store used by the school, ordered letterhead, business cards, named the department, proclaimed myself director. Never asked. The reaction? They more then doubled my salary, gave me a staff, and a very generous budget. I still went to the University MIS and begged, received extras. Prime real estate for a new office from Arts & Sciences. This wasn’t really for my own aggrandizement. It was for the Law School. Maybe because I went into teaching, and working out my next 5 year plan, that I forget what I did, but if you think lawyers are arrogant, law professors are both arrogant and rulers of the universe. They also appreciate some arrogance, and when it’s necessary, you don’t have to be rude, it just takes courage. I don’t think I need this particular book.
Innovation is the greatest challenge. If an organization is mired in complacency and only looks at projects with an immediate ROI their future is bleak. Getting folks to spend money in this economy for intangibles that promise to give back later is a monster obstacle. Having your eyes open does not indicate clear vision. So when I look around the Board Room after a great initiative has been vetoed all I frequently see is just gawking eyes and yes we have to pound the table to get heads turned and looking at “the light.” This would be a great book for all those in leadership to read so they can realize that to move forward we often like the turtle need to stick our neck out. (former Harvard President, don’t remember his name right now.) Let’s see if I get lucky and win this one, I am over my reading budget already this year thanks in great part to Dan and Leadership Freak. 🙂 AD
Pretty bold statements, the question now is how to execute each step and still make my team happy. Yeah, I’m a happy-kind-of-person. 😉
And would love to win your book too! 🙂
Hi, I think the response may vary depending of the level you’re at in an organisation.
In my opinion, top management may have more difficulty to Create a culture of innovation, first by knowing it gives a good ROI, second, by sharing their vision and thirdly by ensuring everyone understand it and applies it. Also it’s not always easy to go with innovation when finance isn’t the healthiest and sometimes it brings more to focus on innovation and long term gain than try to aim from short term revenues event in difficult times.
When you,re more near the production chain, it’s harder to see people take ownership, accountability, decisiveness and leadership even in small responsibilities and sometimes company rules and process enforce it. Instead of giving goals and giving the liberty to reach it in innovative ways, some company or leaders focus on processes and ways to ensure they decide how it’s done which also reduce the culture of innovation.
Thanks
Go with the best people is a challenge, theoretically this make lots of sense but finding, attracting and recruiting the best in the first place is a challenge for small to mid companies…
In my organization, our key “gutsy” leadership failure point is an addendum to #2 which is *trust* your best people. The organization tends to be paralyzed because the senior executives who should be focused on strategy and innovation (and are!) insist on also micromanaging communications, products and decisions. This leaves us constantly behind the 8-ball and with that wimpy result of innovating slowly…
Of course, this can possibly be explained by a failure to insist on excellence, but knowing the players involved, it’s more about a fear of making mistakes.
Interesting topic! I’m a new reader, and I really appreciate your insights!
Thank you for your insights. I saw many of the reasons leaders wimp out while serving in the military, both in the NCO and Officer ranks.
Engaged leaders that are committed to the constant pursuit of being a little better tomorrow follow these steps. The rest is fluff. Tough job – hence, very few real leaders.
I’d love a copy of this book, it seems to be a fit for right where I’m at in my leadership role.
Many have been raised without the benefit of consequences being applied to their actions and then we wonder why there is no REAL leadership. Own your actions and learn from the outcome. If something is right but is difficult then make the effort. If something is wrong but easy keep looking for a solution.
I think there might be “gutsy” and there might be “pointlessly confrontational.” To me, leadership is knowing exactly where you want to go, and knowing what to push at what time, and how hard. And as Doc says, picking yourself up when you fail.
What’s holding ME back is waiting to see if I win a copy of the book before my compulsion to read it impels me to buy a copy! Which stance is “gutsier”?
Indecision is my biggest leadership pet peeve.
Leaders inspire others to give their best. Leaders make tuff, gutsy decisions. Furthermore, leaders must have innovative thought. This gives leaders the flexibility to change.
Would love to read your book. 🙂
All great points. Really like the “shake up the organisation” one, its far too eady for businesses to get complacent and a good shake up every now and then really helps clean out the deadwood and forward focus the business.
These are all great points to take. I think it is daring do be a bold leader like the one described but it would certainly take an organization to new levels fast. If you can’t handle it then then you will weed yourself out. Thanks Dan.
I would like to work for an organization built on these principles.
Enjoyed your blog and am hoping to win a copy of your book for my husband (who is always striving to become a better Leader and train leaders up)… Thanks for sharing! Now pick me! 🙂
I think the biggest challenge is for people to get to the point and keeping things as streamlined as possible. When the process becomes more consuming than the gain of the end result then you need to question what part we can cut out. It seems human nature to make thing far more complicated then they need to be to get the desired result. Another issue is for leaders to allow their employs an environment where they can be creative and get the credit for it.
Good site. Good quotes and recommendations. The right issues for me to be addressing right now. Overwhelmed….
I recently made a decision to stop servicing clients that did not value what we do. As a leader I had to make a decision to do this. It cost us some revenue but it has increased the morale in my company. We now have more time to go after the A clients or those who value our services. These points are great and have hit home.
“Insecure Leaders” caught my attention. Insecurity is at the root of most of our problems!
I find the most challenging is #5 – look for people with push back. We often want to avoid those who are naysayers (not the same thing exactly), but they are the ones who can offer insight into holes in our plans. All too often we surround ourselves with yes-men instead, because they make us feel comfortable. Unfortunately change is not a comfortable process. If we want progress we need to listen to and include those who oppose us. They will help develop plans that are strong and move forward. Possibly they will take us where we did not know we could go. And that just might be a good thing.
Insightful.
Our culture needs to change and hold everyone to the same standard.
We need to implement #6. I do not believe we are free to fail. We have more of a “What have you done for me lately!?” approach.
I think the 6 reasons that people wimp out, as well as the 10 gutsy/provocative steps are compelling. One question I have (which maybe the book answers in more depth) is whether or not there is a hierarchy for either list. That is, are some of the 6 reasons that people wimp out more fundamental (root cause) than others, or do any of the 10 gutsy steps provide a stronger foundation for continued positive, provocative risk taking? I’m also curious if any of these are indicative of personal attitudes/behaviors in addition to professional behaviors. That is, if a person demonstrates them in their professional life, how likely is it that they also demonstrate those same behaviors in their personal life? My blog – buildingheroes.wordpress.com – is committed to empowering people to be positive, provocative risk takers for the greater good, so I’m keenly interested in the answers to those questions. Thank you!
Hi Building,
To answer your question: #1 of the 10 steps is most important. (According to the author). The other steps connect and support. But you need a #1 before the other steps really matter.
Personally, I think there is personal application to this leadership principles.
Best,
Dan
Associations are notorious for Nos. 2, 3, 5 and 6 on the six reasons leaders wimp out. And, as a result, we have operational complexity and our “innovation” moves at a snail’s pace. When I have had conversations with my executive directors about why we continue certain programs, why we re-appoint members who fail to contribute anything meaningful to the organization, and why we ostracize those members/leaders whose ideas are, gasp, different … it almost always goes back to Nos. 1, 3 and 6 in the wimpy behaviors, leading to No. 1 in the wimpy results. Sigh.
I find that #5 seems to be missing most in the departments I work with. When you need them to make a decision or provide the service of their namesake, what I get is bureaucracy. “Fill out the request form, we will cost justify and prioritize the request. Your number is 23AB45779449201. Please refer to it when calling to check the status of your request.” And all I was doing was asking App Support how the application was saving a checked check box in the db.
This article seems to me to be more about management in a organization, not leadership. All the “don’ts” listed above are usually relegated to the scope of what managers tend to do when leaders are (or, at least should be) visionaries — striving for a better future.
Jason,
I think Robert does focus more on management issues. In this world most organizations want managers to lead and leaders to manage.
Thanks for your comment,
Dan
This agree with the list but have one more. Wimping out: Unwilling to listen anyone and always being right.
Great! However, in order for these gutsy steps to be implemented successfully, leadership based on strong ethics and integrity is critical. #Good Corporate Citizenship!
Love it! It does bring up some really good points,sometimes hard to get a good balance but looks like it should be well worth it!
I like the fact that you brought up change! Change is a great motivator. Normally resisted at first but it makes people think differently and evaluate what they really contribute to the team and brings us to a higher level of innovation. Shakes things up and makes us aware and alert. Wakes up creativity eventually lol. I believe rising to the occasion is what makes a leader a leader. Moving forward and meeting the challenge head on. Change is challenging but also transforming if it is looked at in the eyes and met head on.
Hi Dan,
One of the best posts so far (and that’s saying something 😉 ). It especially inspires me as I’ve just been given a project where budget cuts in the military will lead to the laying off of one third of 3000 people. I will try to do this with compassion, but also very gutsy!
Tough one Hans! Communicate early and often and be as transparent as possible. Layoffs are perhaps the hardest thing leaders have to do, own that as well.
This thread has been fascinating. A few things I had neglected. When I did work in private sector, or consulted with them, I found it sad that so many people were afraid of losing their jobs! Things were better back then, so I can imagine that paralyzing someone who’s got kids, a mortgage, etc. We didn’t have kids, so I could lose the job, and find another the next day. On the upside, I’m sure any one can create “any thing,” but to create a department that was necessary in my case–students were putting quarters into Decmates for 15 minutes, and we expanded equipment & training for all students, staff, faculty, AND alums–and to know it is still growing by my hand-picked successor–it was a critical necessity in any school in the early ’90’s. The most positive comment that I could relate to is to have a staff that doesn’t feel like they are going to take a chance, and get fired if it doesn’t pan out. Encouraging your people to take chances, ask the right questions (essential in trouble-shooting) and every mistake is a learning experience, talked about with every one—that’s the way to go for me. Maybe my Hampshire College training makes me a sucker for egalitarianism, but I can’t remember a major disaster that couldn’t fixed. All in all, this was a fascinating journey. I’d love to hear from people who read the book, and see how it turns out, esp. from the winner. No pressure, though!
Excellent post. I am always looking for information like this and I believe other administrators do as well.
Keep up the good work.
Dave
Operational complexity is indeed the result of wimpy leadership. Agile is the word of the day. Would love to read the book. Thanks.
There couldnt have been a better time for me to read this article. Well, waiting for someone to give you a permit to start something which you have been waiting for long, is surely isnt a good feeling. But yes, this article just revoked those thoughts to just realise that there is no external factor that makes you a leader or not unless you don’t nurture it within!
I am stunned by what you said, “There is no external factor that makes you a leader or not unless you don’t nurture it within!”
I am going to think about this for awhile. Off the top of my head, I am certain that leadership demands constant nurturing from inside.
For me it means self-reflection, seeing and admitting, openness for feedback, and intentionally learning and internalizing new ways (e.g. taking them to action…applying them).
This is on my radar. Thank you for the comment.
Leadership is a standard to which few can live up to.
An interesting post with good learning. Good way of describing the characteristics of a good leader.
Probably, you have missed on three other important steps. Taking Quick Decisions, Concern for Others and Creating Strong Teams will also help the leaders to convert Good Organizations to Great.
Leaders believe in people and encourage them to give optimum results with a clear direction. Self-confidence and the zeal to be a winner all the time with innovation and risk-taking skill make the leaders successful.
I am in favor of all of the courageous moves. I am incredibly energized to respond her from 3 aspects: 1) as a leader, 2) as a follower, and as a Chicagoan with a new mayor.
As a leader, I am very urgent and I create a sense of urgency. I am a disciplined and deliberate person (born that way-no credit to me). I run a tight ship and we avoided the mishaps of wimpy leadership. We had a lot of fun making it work and it did. Then Macintosh users got really smart and didn’t need us, so I moved on to work in companies.
When I worked as a follower, my urgency and insight were what I was hired for and what annoyed the 2 leaders I worked for. I have the impression that a lot of courage is called for to really SEE, HEAR, and ACT. I didn’t see it at either place I went to, but far the opposite.
Thirdly, I am happy to see the new Mayor of Chicago admit he has little patience and will have little patience when it comes to education. Also he said he won’t be swayed by irrelevant opposition. He has what to apply his urgency to. His focuses are education, safety (as in lower crime), and budgeting.
He has chosen at least two controversial people (head of police and public schools). He signed 6 ordinances in the 1st hours of his mayorship. Today, the 3rd day he meets for the first time with the people who will support his decisions.
He will first shave $75 million from inefficiencies (1) keep city legal work inhouse, not with contractors. I was told this ahead of his announcement by a legal staff member. She said some lawyers work really hard already, and some have a somewhat lighter work day. (2) reassign physically challenged people to work that they can do and feel successful at. As it is, they work in jobs that they may feel inadequate doing.
Moreover, on day 2 he stopped the sign people from exchanging the old mayoral signs for signs with his name, except in important places. He said we don’t need people running around spending time and money doing things that are not essential.
If you know Chicago, how courageous is this? There will be much to watch in Chicago leadership.
In my opinion, there are more wimpy leaders than gutsy ones. Can gutsy be learned or is it inborn? That’s what your book might tell us.
Great list. As a person trying to lead from the inside, the most challengig to me personally is embracing the ideas of others. i am much quicker to pull the trigger on something I think I know for sure, while demanding more “proof” from others. I’ll have to work harder on this.
Unfortunately, I am in a situation where I see most of the things on this list that should be done, aren’t; and vice versa. But I will print this out and start passing it around to the “powers that be.” Who knows, someone may even readit.
Good post!
Awesome advice and strategies for success which i will definitely use in the future!
Great posts – you continue to be one of my daily must reads.
Most gutsy step-NOT taking myself so seriously-enough so in order to ease into other’s seriousnessly zones!
Great post!
I think the most important is insisting on functional excellence — basically doing everything with a purpose, if you’re not going to have a purpose in what you’re doing for an organization, there is no reason for you to be there; the environment has no need for a bystander.
I need to read this book. I am strongly considering expansion and there are things holding me back internally that I would love help to disengage from so I can feel confident to move forward.
“Create single points of responsibility.” I love this!
From years in the organizational development field – I say “Hats off” to this concept! Leaders call experts in for help to make things better. But very often, they themselves are one of the major reasons things are the way they are.
Fantastic piece. Thank you!
Absolutely love it. I think the hardest part is putting them all in practice in all projects. It has to start at the core of the organization. It starts with one and has to build within.
10. Shake up the organization. Bring in fresh talent and reorganize around new efforts.
I couldn’t agree more. A good leader knows when it’s time to change the lineup and put people into positions that can drive the team forward.
Too often great companies hire “Managers” and not “Leaders”. When I see that, it reminds of me of 4-H kid owning a Thoroughbred. The horse will be well fed, and loved – but it will never win a race.
Nice list, great post! What stands out to me is the title. I believe your list defines leaders (as opposed to gutsy leaders). The fact that these qualities are generally found to be gutsy rather than simply defining leadership speaks more to our socially accepted mediocrity in maintaining the status quo than it does to the gutsiness of leaders.