There is always a great deal of talk about leadership in the working world, during a global pandemic or otherwise.
I know about this because I have been a Leadership Consultant for over twenty years to organizations like Blackberry, AT&T and the Department of National Defense, Government of Canada.
I am certified in, have delivered and coached to thousands of leadership 360 assessments. Key leadership behaviours are identified by decision-makers and leaders at all levels in an organization and are then scientifically assessed against competencies like ‘Strategic,’ ‘Innovative,’ ‘Collaborative.’
The goal in such a process is to ‘move the dot,’ in other words to demonstrate to co-workers that you are visibly more ‘Strategic,’ more ‘Innovative,’ or more ‘Collaborative,’ sufficiently that your assessment score ‘dots’ move when you are reassessed.
If you ask me, though, my measure of leadership involves three key elements:
Wisdom is defined as “the quality of having experience, knowledge and good judgment”. The jury is out on whether wisdom can be taught. In my roles as Interim Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, this attribute has always been the most essential.
Discernment refers to ‘the ability to judge well.’ Leaders have great judgment.
Courage, without saying is the ability and the willingness to do ‘what is tough.’
My note, though, and a note shared by many is that we are all leaders. Regardless of our role, status or station, we all have the ability to demonstrate each day at work or otherwise the positive outcomes of our experience, knowledge and good judgment. How would we demonstrate this?
What do successful people do that unsuccessful people do not? Three simple things: they arrive on time, they finish what they start, and they do what they say they will do. A well-known coach once shared this message and I’ve never forgotten it! Neither have the thousands of individuals I have coached over the years as many have said that of all the things they remembered, these three things really stuck. Oh yes, there is a fourth. Successful people say, ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’
Simple. Perhaps not easy. But, you’ll know a leader by these three (four) simple behaviours.
