Leader 101 Why Extraversion May Not Matter Recent research evidence suggests that while extraversion is predictive of many positive social outcomes, it may not be extraversion itself that matters. Instead, it may be possession of social skills or competencies that are better predictors of social outcomes than personality constructs such as extraversion. Let me explain. Extraversion is a core personality trait that is associated with high levels of energy, expressing emotions, and seeking the company of others. Extraverts seek out social situations. Intraverts are more low-key, deliberate, and often seek solitude. However, social skills come into play. In a very recent study, we found, consistent with previous research, that extraversion was related to both the attainment of leadership positions and a self-rated measure of leader effectiveness. This makes sense. Think about some of the extraverted folks in entertainment—the Robin Williams, or Jim Carrey types. Riggio, R.E., & Reichard, R.
How to Master Situational Leadership There is a saying repeated often in the U.S. Army: “Where you stand is where you sit.” It means, in essence, that your perspective depends on the position you occupy in an organization. When 19th century general Braxton Bragg was serving simultaneously as a company commander and company quartermaster—the officer tasked with approving requisitions—he famously wrote a memo in his commander role requesting resources, then wrote a memo as quartermaster refusing that order. Bragg-as-commander appealed, was again refused by Bragg-as-quartermaster, and finally Bragg requested that the post commander intervene and settle the dispute. Bragg represented an extreme case, but in making each of these decisions, he was looking out for the interests of his team. "You’ve got to be very, very careful not to do the job you used to do, but the job that you’re there to do." For Col. Think: Two Up/Two Down In the U.S. “When I get my assignment, I not only have to understand my mission,” Halloran says.
The Paul Principle Not long after he took the helm of General Electric in the early 1980’s, Jack Welch had his Eureka! moment. Just like Archimedes, Welch was bathing when he decided that GE would quit doing business in all industries in which they could not be the number-one or number-two players. It was that decision more than any other that is credited for positioning GE as the belle of the ball for the remainder of Welch’s corporate tenure. But I think the secret to the success of Welch’s decision was less about his insight than his ability to implement that insight. The Paul Principle states that progress in virtually every area of life and work depends directly on our ability to consistently and frequently rob from Peter to pay Paul. Think about the experience of buying a car. Mary Frances Luce of Duke’s Fuqua School of Business has discovered that robbing from Peter to pay Paul is in fact so emotionally jarring that people engage in all sorts of mental gymnastics to avoid it.
Articles - Leadership (Listed Alphabetically) The 10 Greatest CEOs of All Time What these extraordinary leaders can teach today's troubled executives. And the Walls Came Tumbling Down Leading Beyond the Walls, a book edited and produced by the Peter F. The most productive relationships are partnerships rooted in a freedom of choice vested in both parties to participate only in that which is mutually beneficial and uplifting. Building Companies to Last Inc. In a world of constant change, the fundamentals are more important than ever. Building Your Company's Vision (not available online) Harvard Business Review (with Jerry I. This HBR cover story explains how companies that enjoy enduring success have core values and a core purpose that remain fixed, while their business strategies and practices endlessly adapt to a changing world. Change Is Good—But First, Know What Should Never Change Companies Need Not Hire Outside CEOs to Stimulate Fundamental Change Directorship (with Jerry I. Inc. This article is part of Inc.'
Collaborative Style of Leadership There are probably hundreds of definitions of leadership. However, at its essence, leadership is influencing others to accomplish results. Leadership is not so much about what you do and accomplish on your own. It is about what you are able to help others accomplish. It is about how you are able to influence other people to raise their level of performance to new and better heights and contribute more than they previously thought possible. In 1978 a biographer by the name of James McGregor Burns wrote a book entitled Leadership, in which he described the lives of people he felt were world class leaders—Ghandi, Mao, Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Roosevelt, Stalin and Hitler. According to Burns, power-wielders impose external control on their followers. Transformational leaders, on the other hand, care about the needs and interests of their followers as well as their own. Expanding on Burn’s theme, I want to introduce a two dimensional model of leadership behavior. Four Styles of Leadership
Being a Good Quitter Makes You a Good Entrepreneur When we look at successful entrepreneurs, it may appear that they spend their lives relentlessly driving towards a singular goal. We assume the path to success was a straight shot, lined with mile markers throughout. In fact, it wasn’t. Finding the optimal path, that is, doing only the stuff that matters most and quitting the rest, is paramount to an entrepreneur’s success. Lesson 3: Quit to win Every week, I meet with entrepreneurs who are lit up with passion for their business. I usually find myself interrupting the barrage of lofty plans and ask, “So what’s most important right now? Prioritization is an entrepreneur’s most important responsibility. Instead of trying to do everything all at once, the start-up CEO needs to focus on what really matters. The size of your next step depends proportionally on the size of your company. Just make sure to match the size of your next step with the size of your company. See part 1 here and part 2 here of this 3-part series.
Articles - The Death of the Charismatic Leader Inc. Almost by definition, an enduring great company has to be built not to depend on an individual leader, because individuals die or retire or move on. What's more, when a company's identity can't be separated from the identity of its leader, it can't be known for what it stand for. So the charismatic-leader model has to die. Building mechanisms is one of the CEO's most powerful but least understood and most rarely employed tools. The old role is still seductive, though. However hard the transition to architect might be, there are three issues, affecting every CEO, that encourage it—and eventually may even force it. First, let's discuss creativity. The second concern is time span. The last concern, scale, is the most crucial. Copyright © 1997 Jim Collins, All rights reserved.
This Highly Decorated University President Shares the 8 Attributes of Great Leadership There are leaders, and then there are leaders of leaders. Dr. Christopher Howard, a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), knows a lot about growing leaders. He was named one of the "20 Most Interesting College Presidents" by The Best Schools in 2015. During Dr. Howard's six and a half years as president at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, enrollment, retention and alumni giving all increased, and the college produced its first Truman and Goldwater scholars in 20 years. Dr. Now as the eighth president of Robert Morris University, he is grooming young leaders to work in a variety of fields and in a variety of situations. "Many talented and well-educated men and women have never made the journey to become effective leaders of character. 1. "Leaders require not only self-knowledge but the capacity to stand apart from oneself and accurately assess one's motives and actions and, when necessary, self-correct." 2. "Leaders understand their place within their environment. 3. 4.
Why You Should Run Your Business Barefoot This post is part 1 of a 3-part series. See part 2 here and part 3 here. Photo courtesy of gearjunkie.com When I run, I don’t wear much clothing. Just my tighty whities and an old pair of Umbro shorts. I don’t wear shoes. But this series of blog posts isn’t about running barefoot per se. So what did I learn exposing my feet to hundreds of miles of hot asphalt? “But what if a nail or a rock jabs into your foot?” Getting real-time feedback is paramount to both running and business. So what’s wrong with being comfortable? Here are three examples I’ve observed of how people insulate themselves to their own detriment and what to do about it: Engineers tend to focus on the code and not enough on the cash. Marketing and sales people tend to cushion themselves from the technology on which their companies depend. Finally, entrepreneurs cushion themselves when they focus on distractions and tactics, which actually have no impact on what really matters to their business.
8 Habits of Remarkably Successful People I'm fortunate to know a number of remarkably successful people. I've described how these people share a set of specific perspectives and beliefs. They also share a number of habits: 1. They don't create back-up plans. Back-up plans can help you sleep easier at night. You'll work a lot harder and a lot longer if your primary plan simply has to work because there is no other option. If somehow the worst does happen (and the "worst" is never as bad as you think) trust that you will find a way to rebound. 2. You can be good with a little effort. But you can't be great--at anything--unless you put in an incredible amount of focused effort. Scratch the surface of any person with rare skills and you'll find a person who has put thousands of hours of effort into developing those skills. There are no shortcuts. So start doing the work now. 3. ...and they work a lot more. Forget the Sheryl Sandberg "I leave every day at 5:30" stories. Better yet, they want to put in lots of time. 4. 5. 7. 8. To fail.
Leadership lessons from the Royal Navy - McKinsey Quarterly - Organization - Strategic Organization Britain’s Royal Navy is a disciplined command-and-control organization that moves across 140 million square miles of the world’s oceans. Although few environments are tougher than a ship or submarine, I’ve been struck, while conducting research on the Royal Navy, by the extent to which these engines of war run on “soft” leadership skills. For officers leading small teams in constrained quarters, there’s no substitute for cheerfulness and effective storytelling. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that naval training is predicated on the notion that when two groups with equal resources attempt the same thing, the successful group will be the one whose leaders better understand how to use the softer skills to maintain effort and motivate. I believe that the same principle holds true for business. Among the many softer leadership skills important to the Royal Navy, I highlight here the aforementioned cheerfulness and storytelling, which to me were both unexpected and broadly applicable.
Action Plans - Project Management Tools from MindTools Small Scale Planning Simple projects can be completed with simple plans. © iStockphoto/AndrewJohnson Whether it's sending out an email newsletter, putting together a presentation for senior managers, or working on a special request for a client, many of us have to complete simple projects as part of our day-to-day responsibilities. These small- to medium-sized projects may, at first glance, not seem to need much thought. But, occasionally, we can overlook a key step or "to do" item that can derail all our efforts. For instance, how do you make sure that you've covered everything? Action Plans are simple lists of all of the tasks that you need to finish to meet an objective. Action Plans are useful, because they give you a framework for thinking about how you'll complete a project efficiently. Using Action Plans Use an Action Plan whenever you need to plan a small project. Use the three-step process below to help you: Step 1: Identify Tasks Step 2: Analyze and Delegate Tasks SCHEMES stands for: