Our ongoing quest to characterize outstanding leaders once again brings us to work by
Marcel Schwantes.
Here, Schwantes outlines advice from Steve Jobs and others about what led them to their success as leaders. True leaders, as opposed to "average bosses", step to the plate with strong values and morals.
They take decisive action to create the environment that brings forth great performance from their teams, and great success to all.
Here are the five approaches Marcel identifies that are characteristic of the best business leaders.
- They are part of the team - they play on the team, and for the team.
- They build trust, and keep it.
- They show their employees that they trust and believe in them.
- They focus on honesty in all relationships
- They practice "love in action" - help every worker feel validated.
To accomplish these things, a leader must be unfailingly authentic.
He or she must continually take responsibility for what happens.
He or she must always give the team credit for accomplishments, never taking the "glory" for her- or himself.
These ingredients of great leadership must come from within the leader. Following a recipe or a set of instructions will not help one become a leader.
Usually these traits are innate and/or developed during the formative early childhood years.
My belief is that they can be learned later in life. However, the learning must be transformative, as opposed to "surface learning". The learner must actually become a new person, deeply incorporating the new learning in his or her core personality.
I have seen people transform to that degree. It's rare!
Would you like to talk about a leader who exhibits these characteristics, or one who doesn't "get it"? Let's do it.
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