Tinelli on Leadership )
Ideas you can use today Issue 79 - July 31, 2011
In This Issue
  • Leadership and Charisma.
  • Leadership, Power, and Greatness.
  • Leadership is.
  • It's blisteringly hot and humid, the dog days of summer.

    I hope you find a bit of respite from the heat, perhaps with a cool drink.


    Archie Tinelli, Ph.D.

    Leadership and Charisma.

    Leadership and charisma are often seen as going together hand-in-hand. And yet, as Jim Collins pointed out in "Good to Great," companies that excel most likely have quiet, unassuming leaders.

    Challenging the belief that all leaders should be charismatic is not easily done. The four examples that follow provide suggestions for how leaders can be effective without having charismatic personalities. The examples come from a mystery in which the lead detective suggested four statements that all good cops must use: I'm sorry, I don't know, I need help, and I made a mistake. The four statements apply to leaders as well.

    Amina had just become the leader of her group when she was asked for advice from one of the newest members as to how to respond to a client request. Not wanting to appear unsure, and not wanting to suggest she didn't trust the staff member, she said, "Just do what you think is right. I'm sure it'll work out."

    It didn't. In fact, the situation got worse. Without sufficient guidance, the new staff member made commitments to the client that weren't within the contractual guidelines and exceeded the scope of the project.

    Once she realized the problem and resolved the issues with the client, Amina went to the staff person and said, "I'm sorry," going on to explain that she had not taken the time to fully understand the situation and, as a result, had not provided the staff member with specific guidelines for how to handle it.

    Darren was never one to doubt himself, relying on his sales experience and quick thinking to get by with off-the-cuff responses when he didn't know the answer. It nearly always worked.

    When the CFO asked about the progress on a critical RFP (Request For Proposal), he said, atypically, "I don't know," adding that he wanted to check with his team before giving an answer.

    Later, when he provided the update, the CFO told him how much he appreciated Darren's candor, indicating that it was far better for Darren to acknowledge his ignorance and find the answer than try to give an unsure or glib response.

    Leslie had been in charge of her department for three years, after having assumed the reins from her longtime mentor. For most of that time, the department had continued along similar lines, but then things changed and she had to adjust quickly to the changes demanded by the turn in the economy.

    Part of the changes included having to reduce staff and cut expenses to the bone. When asked by her staff how she was going to make the cuts in staff and budget, she responded, "I need help," indicating that she had never had to deal with these issues before and she needed their input and advice.

    Using their suggestions, she managed to make the changes and, in the process, find ways to improve the department's operations.

    Keith wanted to make a difference, especially since this was his first truly strategic position in the firm. He had been promoted largely because of his ability to identify and implement procedures and programs that improved the business's performance.

    His first effort failed. Instead of making excuses, he told the senior executives, "I made a mistake." Later in the year, after righting the ship, the CEO told him that his willingness to admit his mistake was telling, saying: "Keith, we all make mistakes. It's what we do when we do that is the true measure of a leader. You proved that you could admit your mistake and take steps to learn from it."

    These examples highlight how leaders don't have to be charismatic to be effective. Moreover, it shows how humility and candor work to their advantage, enabling the leaders to continue to learn and to involve their staff in solving problems.

    Have you used these four statements to respond to the challenges you face at work? What happened when you did? How might you use them more in the future?

    Leadership, Power, and Greatness.

    Stewart L. Udall, former Secretary of the Interior, said, "We have, I fear, confused power with greatness."

    Yes. Some leaders mistakenly believe that their power equates with greatness, that their position and influence in the organization necessarily guarantees an elevated and rare level of regard and respect.

    The risks of confusing power and greatness are many, among them hubris, conceit, and arrogance. In what ways can you avoid the likelihood of mistaking power for greatness?

    Leadership is.

    Will Rogers once said, "I don't make jokes - I just watch the government and report the facts."

    What would he report now about the United States government? Is it leadership?

    What do you think?

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