Instead of spending a lot of time and energy engaged with all of the books, articles and seminars available on leadership qualities, it might be easier to look at it from a higher level. That's what Jack Welch did in his BusinessWeek column (Feb 4, 2008) as he discussed the six key traits crucial for running a company (or department or team).
How many of these traits do you possess?
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Are you authentic? Do your team members, peers and superiors trust you to do what you say you're going to do, and do you deliver dependable results? Are you seen as genuine or contrived?
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Do you have a vision? The business world will always require fast-paced decisions, however it is still important for your team to know where it is pointed by providing them clear, concise direction.
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Do you hire great people? Management in its truest sense is simply the act of facilitating the activities of others. Managers are not the experts--they know how to utilize their resources and people talents to get there. They also develop those folks and get them promoted.
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Can you bounce back from defeat? Everyone must face setbacks--are you resilient enough to move on without dwelling on the loss?
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Do you see around corners? Are you able to anticipate the next trend or issue, and pull together a proactive initiative--or do you wait until the crisis unfolds?
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Can you execute? As a leader you must generate positive activity that results in accomplishments supporting your vision, goals, and customer satisfaction.
Jack Welch not only uses this criteria in evaluating business leaders, he also applies it in looking at all of our presidential candidates. What an interesting perspective!