I received a suggestion last week from an esteemed reader who recommended that I take questions on leadership issues and respond to them in my Minutes. What a great idea! It was serendipitous, as I was just musing on the very question of how to engage more interaction with my readers. I do not always have time to respond to every email message personally, but I do very much appreciate the feedback I receive.

Food for Thought ~

This provides a good opportunity for me to address something I surely believe ~ that through collaboration we are able to create much better solutions, plans, and outcomes than we can individually. Collective wisdom is far better than most individual efforts, with geniuses perhaps the exception to the rule. I have seen time and again the amazing improvement in the quality of a group’s effort over that of an individual, even a very smart and talented one. Yes, it takes longer and requires more management and leadership skills, but the superior results are well worth the effort.

Question of the day ~

Are you good at seeking input and collaboration? Do you reach out to appropriate and interested others to help craft and improve the best possible ideas and solutions?

One of my thoughtful readers replied to last week’s Minute with the keen observation that leaders need to be humble enough to be a learner and yet confident enough to be a decision-maker. Leaders need to be able to hear what employees (and others) honestly think and feel while contemporaneously maintaining their overall responsibility for the company. It’s a great insight into another one of the seemingly paradoxical aspects of being a leader.

Food for Thought ~

This underscores the point from last week that leaders need to have exceptional EQ (Emotional Intelligence.) It takes a lot of maturity and poise to balance the multiple facets of a leadership position, and this is one of the most challenging. Kudos to those of you who have mastered this aspect of leadership. And kudos as well to those who are working on it!

Question of the day ~

How are your skills at being humble enough to be a listener and learner while at the same time maintaining an appropriate perspective on your responsibility as a leader, as well as managing your own emotional response?

One of the implications of the servant leader concept is that the old model of “command and control” leadership is largely passe, except for special situations. Today’s leaders are not the same breed that dominated well into the 20th century. Current and future leaders must primarily be learners, teachers and coaches.

Food for Thought ~

The skills needed to be a learner, teacher and coach are commonly called “people skills” or Emotional Intelligence (EQ) as popularized by Daniel Goleman. As leaders, we first need to effectively manage ourselves, and secondarily, our relationships. Technical knowledge and abilities are often the entry fee, but it’s personal awareness and people skills that fuel the leadership trajectory.

Question of the day ~

How would you rate your skills as a teacher and coach? A perhaps more subtle assessment is required regarding our capacities for personal and interpersonal learning. How do you fare on that scale? (If we find that we are defensive when we receive criticism, we may be limiting our learning.)

Last week’s Minute introduced the servant leader concept developed by Robert Greenleaf. One of his fundamental premises is that organizations have a unique opportunity to create transformative company cultures that support individuals’ well-being and growth. It comes as no surprise that many servant leadership companies are frequently honored on “Best Places to Work” lists.

Food for Thought ~

Here are the ten characteristics of servant leadership:

• Listening
• Empathy
• Awareness
• Conceptualization
• Persuasion
• Healing
• Commitment to the Growth of People
• Foresight
• Stewardship
• Building Community

Question of the day ~

Which of the servant leader characteristics are your strengths?

My own philosophy as a leader grew out of experience, plus trial and error. When I discovered the servant leader concept some years ago, it was with a sense of recognition and affirmation. It gave a name to my own way of thinking, and I was delighted to learn more about it. (On a personal note, I grew up in Indiana, and the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership is located in Indianapolis. Maybe it’s a mid-western sensibility!) My new column this week in the North Bay Business Journal is on the subject of servant leadership. It will soon be posted on-line, and I’ll send you the link.

Food for Thought ~

One of the central tenets of the servant leader concept is that leaders are the stewards of their organization’s resources: human, material, and financial, as well as responsible to their customers, community and environment. I love this notion of being a steward. In Webster’s, the applicable definition reads: “a person morally responsible for the careful use of money, time, talents, or other resources, especially with respect to the principles or needs of a community or group.”

Question of the day ~

How does the mindset of being a steward influence you as a leader?

I often comment on the multi-faceted, never-ending stream of opportunities and problems that leaders face. One of the best ways to handle the stress of this constant challenge is to set clear, high standards for yourself. It’s a bit of a paradox. However, it’s my observation that when our standards are high and clear, stress is reduced. I think it may be because setting high standards for our own performance requires clarity, a conscious choice of values and priorities, and a commitment to excellence, which is unambiguous. Internal value conflicts and ambivalence are far greater stressors than external circumstances.

Food for Thought ~

An important point of distinction, however, must be made ~ the distinction between excellence and perfectionism. A misguided dedication to perfection will certainly increase stress. In contrast, excellence is the more thoughtful, reality-based guidance system, the gold standard for leaders.

Question of the day ~

Do you set your expectations high for your own personal performance? Are you pursuing perfection or excellence?

One of the qualities most often associated with good leaders is vision. This is the ability to imagine and envision and then guide your team/company/organization toward a desired future. There’s a wonderful family of qualities associated with this aspect of leadership. I call it The Vision Constellation. Some of the related skills include: foresight and anticipation – the thoughtful regard or provision for the future, encouraging the desired and forestalling or avoiding the undesired; a long-term perspective that informs all decisions; and core values that reflect a commitment to sustainable business practices.

Food for Thought ~

If I were to prescribe a list of the qualities necessary for leaders, The Vision Constellation would be in the top echelon. It is essential to look ahead and then use that information and insight to inform present-day activities and decisions. Without vision, management is merely reactivity and gamesmanship, not leadership.

Question of the day ~

Is The Vision Constellation one of your strengths? If not, do you have someone who can provide this within your organization?

Leadership has captivated me for as long as I can remember. The group dynamics, the interplay of personalities, and the collective effort required to achieve desired goals are all fascinating, in part because of the complexity. It is that very factor of having so many variables, changing circumstances, and human issues on so many levels that keeps it continually challenging, a “permanent white water” condition. I know many excellent leaders, and none of them are bored or complacent. There’s too much happening.

Food for Thought ~

Working with the river rafting metaphor, we can easily imagine a leader using his or her skill, experience and intelligence to navigate the rapids. Picture roiling waters, submerged rocks, fast-moving currents, and a raft full of people for whom you are responsible, all the while with great respect and reverence for the natural environment. You have just created the typical visceral experience of most leaders, especially in today’s economy with our culture’s ever-increasing pace of change.

Question of the day ~

Does this metaphor capture your experience as a leader? What metaphors are helpful for you? How do you increase your success at navigating the rapids?

279 years ago today was George Washington’s birthday. Now, most of us give only passing thought to the man who was our first President, but even a cursory review of his biography leads me to deeply appreciate him as a leader and wish that his influence was more widely felt. In selecting just one aspect of his leadership for our focus today, I have chosen his personal motto: “Deeds, not words.”

Food for Thought ~

Reportedly, he was a man of brevity in his speaking. From his motto, I would surmise that he believed in the maxim “Actions speak louder than words,” or today’s colloquialism, “Walk your talk.” Whatever version resonates with you, this advice is an essential reference point for good leadership. No matter how elegant or powerful, words will prove empty if a leader’s actions and deeds are not in congruence. Without congruity, credibility is suspect. Without credibility…

Question of the day ~

Are you mindful of these maxims in your role as a leader? Are you rigorously honest with yourself about what you do and what you say? Do you have a personal motto?