What distinguishes good leaders from bad? It's a question that many people have tried to answer, with varying degrees of success. It's a question I spend a lot of time thinking about while I'm on the treadmill or sitting in my office.
Here is the result of all those hours of contemplation: I think there are two big categories that come to mind when it comes to great leadership - skills and values.
Great leaders have the skills and the values to lead others effectively.
These skills include things like Modeling, Negotiating, Planning, Listening, Delegating, Clarifying, Challenging, and more.
Values are inner belief structures that cannot easily be taught - and they include things like Integrity, Fairness, Compassion, Excellence, Courage and so on.
Good leadership development consists of helping people develop the skills of leadership, while supporting them as they learn to apply their values consistently in complex environments.
Skills and Values. Mind and Heart. How and Why. We need both pieces - don't you agree.
Every week, I send out a concise leadership development e-lesson to the subscribers of my Leadership Workout. Between now and the end of December, I'm offering a free eBook (Advice for New Managers) to new workout subscribers. more info
Comments