Leadership Attributes
Identify the key leadership capabilities necessary. Remember that leadership is about moving the troops toward a desired outcome. Leadership is about facilitating desired change. Our experience has shown us time and again that for the most part, organizations are over-managed and under-lead. Extreme care should be employed here to establish just what kinds of leadership skills and attributes are necessary and desirable in a particular role. Don't forget to think about how the candidate's leadership requirements might change down the road. Consider closely the environment in which the candidate will be expected to operate. Ideally, he or she should have proven ability to lead in similar situations, with similar autonomy, resources, support and competitive landscape, just to name a few. Also consider that different leaders thrive in different situations, including turn-around scenarios, rapid growth periods and maintenance mode.
The finest leaders treat everybody incredibly well and lead with a bit of humility. I've found that when I go into a company to lead, it's important to have a plan and to make that plan a simple one that everybody can understand. I'm constantly asking the question, "What are the two or three levers that, if done right, if pulled correctly, will really turn this business? What are the two or three things that really matter?" And I find that most leaders don't really do that often. They just dive into all this detail and start doing stuff.
Is leading with humility important in your organization? I cannot imagine why it wouldn't be but this is a question that needs to be asked and answered.
I am going to repeat what I stated earlier. High performance leaders lead consistently in a manner that inspires others to trust and follow them. They know how to connect with the workforce in such a manner that everyone in the organization understands the mission at hand. They are involved in all of the critical areas of the business: strategy, people systems and operations. They are not micromanagers by any means, but they are fully aware of what's going on in their business. They understand what drives the business. High performance leaders encourage their leadership teams to stretch and achieve while holding everyone accountable for their performance, behavior and promises. High performance leaders, unlike managers help their organization cope with ambiguity by crystallizing the end objective, painting the vision, assigning priorities, separating the wheat from the chaff, and providing a laser like focus. High performance leaders do not know it all. They know what they don't know. They understand their own strengths, weaknesses and propensities; and they delegate and compensate accordingly. High performance leaders share information, resources and credit effectively. They understand that there is no limit to what can be accomplished if they don't care who gets the credit. High performance leaders are real people. They are not afraid to show vulnerability, admit mistakes and ask for help. They are constantly communicating their company's vision, purpose and values. These high performance leaders are constantly mindful of customers, end users and their rank-in-file employees. High performance leaders are decisive yet not reckless. They understand that a good plan well executed beats an ironclad plan with mediocre execution every time. These people understand that all employees deep down want to do a good job and want to feel like they are making a contribution. They understand that we are all looking for leadership. High performance leaders are confident yet not arrogant. They are in constant contact with their organization to the extent they can feel the pulse; their constituents feel a connection with them. High performance leaders have a sense of humor and the ability to make the job fun. They understand the power of a workforce that is happy to see them, not afraid of them. These individuals are high integrity players. They mean and do what they say; they have no hidden agendas. Most high performance leaders are story tellers. They teach by telling stories and using anecdotes and metaphors to illustrate their points and put things in perspective. These people instill passion in others and energize their workforces. They treat everyone with dignity and respect and they do not tolerate abuse of others.