This is From The Balance Beam

[TheBalanceBeam] - The Human Side of Leadership

======================================================================
THE BALANCE BEAM
Ideas and Inspiration for Creating a Life that Works
Vol. 2 No. 20, October 1, 2000
Published by Success Builders, Inc.
http://www.SuccessBuildersInc.com
======================================================================
"He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened."
Lao-tzu
In this issue: THE HUMAN SIDE OF LEADERSHIP
======================================================================
Dear Friends:
I was inspired to write this issue of The Balance Beam by one of my clients who is in the process of exploring how he defines leadership for himself. Despite textbook definitions galore, this is ultimately one of those things that all of us have to try on for size to determine the right fit, and declare how we will show up as leaders and as human beings.

If you want to check out earlier editions of The Balance Beam that you may have missed, you can easily retrieve them by clicking on http://www.successbuildersinc.com/newsletter.html and going to the Archives section. If you are not yet a regular subscriber to The Balance Beam, you can also enter your subscription information at this location.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today's Topic: THE HUMAN SIDE OF LEADERSHIP

One of the things I most enjoy about being a business coach is the incredible amount of stuff that I'm able to learn and create in the process of helping my clients do the same. In coaching circles we refer to this phenomenon as the "interdevelopmental partnership", and it's a sort of spontaneous magic that shows up around the work that we do together.

I had one of those experiences this week while working with Michael, one of my clients who really keeps me on my toes. Michael has a respectable job as the general manager for a large office of a national training company. But Michael also has a dream to create a business of his own, capitalizing on a unique idea that he created some time ago.

Despite the security of a steady and quite healthy paycheck, Michael has recently become increasingly restless around wanting to take his idea forward and make the leap. Like many potential entrepreneurs, he struggles with finding the courage to sacrifice safety for fulfillment. And he's smart enough to know that there's more to creating a successful business than simply having a great idea and a lot of energy to put behind it.

So, the other day we were having a conversation about what it takes to successfully start and grow a sustainable business. I could tell that Michael was feeling a little frustrated and was searching for more than the standard answers about having a well-defined target market, a sound business plan and some viable sources of capital. What Michael was really grappling with was, what is it about those individuals who are able to create something great that will grow and flourish? He finally nailed the question when he asked, simply, "Why is it that they're there and I'm here?"

It was one of those questions that spawned a great brainstorming discussion around the personal characteristics of great leaders. It wasn't about the textbook MBA stuff or a list of well-developed competencies. Rather, it was a focus on showing up as a human being in a way that cultivates large and astounding results. This was one of those conversations that "clicked", and with Michael's permission, I share the list that we came up with here:

1. They have a beginner's mind. Great leaders are learners as well as teachers. They recognize that they don't have all the answers, and they must rely on the wisdom and knowledge of others to build strong organizations.

2. They suspend their egos. They recognize that the success of what they are creating is a greater whole, that it's not just about themselves. They can admit their mistakes, and they don't have to always be right.

3. They put people first and results second. This is a big one because it flies in the face of conventional wisdom. However, in a world challenged by talent shortages and retention issues, great leaders know that if their highest priority is to actively find ways to honor their own staffs, those people will own the need for results and produce miracles in the process.

4. They know that they are personally accountable for 100% of what happens to them in business. In the company of great leaders, there are no victims. Despite difficult circumstances, they know that there are always options and choices to be made, and it is up to them to create the space for solutions.

5. They are resilient. Great leaders are able to pop back up when they get knocked down. Rather than becoming defeated by setbacks, they see them as challenges.

6. They are comfortable dealing in the language of emotions. Chester Barnard said, "We hire people for skills, but the whole person shows up for work." Great leaders recognize that to get the best from people you have to acknowledge and respect what they are feeling, not just how they are performing. There's a reason why we call them human beings instead of human doings.

7. They are willing to look in the mirror. Great leaders welcome feedback and view it as a source of information to overcome blind spots. They are as willing to acknowledge their own needs for change, as they are for everyone else's.

8. They don't drive performance, they cultivate talent. Great leaders recognize that while you can beat performance out of people in the short term, going the distance requires that you engage them, that you find ways to spark their creativity and challenge their potential.

9. They live in a place of high integrity. Great leaders lead principled lives. They tell the truth in a way that is respectful of others, and act on those truths. When the going gets tough, they do the right thing, even in the face of political pressures and quick fix opportunities.

10. They are optimists. Perhaps more than anything else, great leaders are able to look on the bright side of life. They have the same misfortunes, bad luck and black clouds as everyone else, yet they are able to remain positive and upbeat. They are masters at turning the proverbial lemons into lemonade.

Despite his feeling of being "here", while great leaders are "there", I know that Michael is a great leader himself. His willingness to delve into issues like this and absorb the learning that shows up demonstrate that he's got what it takes. He may not be there yet, but he's got the human side of leadership down pat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Words to live by:
"Leadership is a combination of strategy and character. If you must be without one, be without the strategy."
-General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

"The leader who exercises power with honor will work from the inside out, starting with himself."
-Blaine Lee, The Power Principle