The True Measure of a Leader
"The true measure of a leader is what it takes to stop him." This sounds inspiring, doesn't it?
BEWARE. This statement is a half truth that appeals to the ego or foolish well-intentions of a person with a savior mentality. This statement by itself is more of a lie than a truth.
For decades people could not stop Hitler, Stalin, or Chairman Mao even though their actions killed 20, 40, and 50 million people respectively. Whether you can stop someone is not the issue. Bullies can prevail.
Just ask anyone who has been held back in business because of their gender, appearance, or any other inherent characteristic. There are plenty of other examples too.
What is the true measure of a leader? Let me give you 3 true measures of a leader:
#1 - Integrity
As you promote people without management experience into leadership positions, are they prepared to make the tough decisions that demonstrate integrity, rather than merely follow the law and/or your company policy?
It is the "gray areas" that kill relationships, opportunities, and limit your future. This "measure of a leader" applies equally to your more seasoned leaders. Everyone on your leadership team needs to be a role model for your company values, relationships, and results.
I emphasize integrity heavily in our Certified LEADER program. We are starting our next six-month Certified LEADER program next week. I encourage you to signup leaders at all stages of their career to become certified as a leader. You can register here.
#2 - Results
Every leader needs to have clear, measurable goals and achieve them on time and within budget.
People struggle to hold their leaders accountable. If your leaders do not respond promptly, do not meet deadlines, do not communicate effectively, or have other dysfunctional behaviors, then how can you expect your other employees to be the best they can be?
In our Certified LEADER program I teach, re-teach and teach again my proven system for defining clear, measurable objectives and achieving results on time.
If your managers and/or senior leaders need to achieve results more consistently, then let them work with me for six months in our Certified LEADER program. Our program pays for itself quickly as they start achieving results consistently. You can register here.
#3 - Relationships
The only common trait of the GREAT leaders in Jim Collins's book, Good to Great, was humility. The true measure of a leader is their ability to consistently behave with integrity, achieve results, and work effectively with other people.
In a past Certified LEADER class there was a seasoned manager who was very intense and not personable. Over the course of the six month program we worked together to transform him from a manager who plays "whack-a-mole," to one who or respectfully and professionally engages with this team. The results were astounding.
If you have someone on your leadership team who would like to improve their relationships skills, then signed him up for our Certified LEADER program that starts next week. I will work with him or her to develop new habits, build stronger relationships, and communicate more effectively with others. You can sign-up here.
I could continue to list many more attributes that are the "true measure of a leader," however I suggest all the others extend from these three. When you improve your skills in these three areas the positive results cascade into other habits of your professional and personal lives.
P.S. Where was this quote from? Robert Jeffress' sermon to Donald Trump and his family before Trump's inauguration as President of the United States - Washington Post article. NOTE: This column is not intended to reflect positively or negatively on President Trump.
