I’m continually struck by the fact that so many leaders fail to consider the fit between the needs of the business and their own needs. It’s not that leaders don’t know what is facing the business. They can readily rattle off the challenges that lie ahead. Rather, leaders don’t (or can’t) make the connection between what they are good at and what the organization needs.

Right now, I’m in the midst of a project for a Fortune 100 company to help a key leadership team determine the fit between the challenges of the business and the skills and abilities of the team members. The process I’m using is not complicated. But it’s also not widely used, in large part, because few people are familiar with how it works.

What are we doing? First, we prioritized the factors and forces requiring a change from doing business as usual and then we identified the obstacles and challenges to making those changes.

After that came the work of determining the fit between what the organization needs to do next and the skills and abilities of the leadership team. How did we do that?

We began by having every member of the leadership team determine the particular and distinctive set of skills and abilities he or she brings to their work. These are not theoretical or hypothetical. Rather, they are down-to-earth, practical ways that they lead.

As with any group, the skills and abilities varied widely: focusing on results, analyzing problems objectively, holding people accountable, dealing with people directly and honestly, being persuasive, making daily progress, etc.

Then, the members of the leadership team crafted a script in which they explained how their individual skills and abilities will help them to make the changes needed for the organization to move ahead. That script will be used to communicate to their subordinates and others in the organization how their leadership skills fit the needs of the organization.

The major point of this effort is to help the members of the leadership team recognize that they can be more effective in leading the organization when they make a clear connection between what they’re good at and what the organization needs.

In addition, there is another purpose to this focus on “fit.” Fit requires that leaders serve the needs of the organization, not the other way around. Leaders should not work primarily to feather their own nests (like so many of the CEOs we read about) or to achieve personal fame and glory.

Rather, a leader’s ambition and drive should be directed, first and foremost, to benefiting the organization, its clients, and employees.

How well have you determined your fit? In what ways do your skills and abilities help your organization to address the challenges ahead? Make your answers explicit and then share your conclusions with others.

As I write this, I’m sitting in Chicago’s O’Hare airport waiting for a plane that’s been delayed. As I wait, it’s hard not to notice the number of fellow business travelers talking on cell phones and working on laptops.

Digital technology has insinuated itself into our lives in ways that are far more pervasive, and also invasive, than we ever would have predicted a few years ago. With the advances in technology, however, comes an apparent loss of etiquette. Two examples:

One of my clients has asked that I include in the program I’m developing a section on e-mail etiquette because of the frequently tactless content and also the excessive number of e-mails being sent. Not only do some e-mail writers fail to recognize the importance of common courtesy, but they also fail to remember that whatever they write can be retrieved later. Another problem they've run into with e-mails is the propensity to include far too many people on the distribution list, needlessly clogging up the inboxes of others.

And, of course, the use of the cell phone has encouraged people to call anyone at any time, without thinking of the effect of their addiction on others. Callers assume that you are available whenever they want to talk to you and expect you to return calls immediately. The assault on your time is overwhelming.

It’s clearly time for a renewed commitment to common courtesy to offset the unintended effects of technology.

Last week, we celebrated Thanksgiving. Coincidentally, a few days before, I also toured the new Lincoln Library in Springfield, IL, with some leaders with whom I am working.

The library was impressive and the experience rewarding. Lincoln has been hailed as one of our greatest presidents for good reason.

I’m thankful for leaders who, like Lincoln, help us remember the impact that good leaders can have and help us remember to lead with humility and courage.