| My operations leader and I were standing in the | | | | cannot make good things happen without people. |
| parking lot after a meeting discussing a couple of | | | | It's the subordinates, the ones who are led, who |
| issues when he asked, "What would you say are | | | | make leaders successful. All my discussions about |
| three secrets to good leadership." | | | | learning people's needs, what motivates them, |
| I thought for a moment before giving an answer. | | | | their needs, and their desire to win is based on |
| I have a fairly lengthy list of things that I think | | | | this fact. |
| are essential for leadership success. The list has | | | | 3. People make mistakes. What, you say? How |
| been built over the years through observation of | | | | can this be a secret of leadership? Look at it as a |
| others as well as my own experience, but I'd | | | | follow up to the second point. No one is perfect. |
| never tried to boil it all down to just a few points. | | | | We all make mistakes. It is the way we handle |
| I've considered that question through the | | | | those mistakes that is a critical leadership point. |
| intervening years and the following three points | | | | The leader who helps subordinates learn from |
| always seem to be at the root of everything I | | | | their errors, who protects them when necessary, |
| teach and counsel about leadership. Is this | | | | and provides the appropriate correction, is more |
| oversimplified? Perhaps, but a leader who | | | | likely to succeed than the one who constantly |
| understands and embraces these three points will | | | | harps on mistakes and defaults to a position of |
| be successful. | | | | retribution. This issue of mistakes is a two-way |
| 1. Leaders have a vision - at all levels. Whether a | | | | street though. Leaders also make mistakes and |
| first-level manager or a corporate CEO, I've | | | | the way they handle their own goofs has a lot to |
| observed that the most successful leaders have | | | | do with their success as a leader. When the |
| a vision of what can be. That vision drives them | | | | leader tries to cover up a mistake, or pass it off |
| and, when properly expressed, provides | | | | as someone else's error, subordinates will see that |
| motivation for subordinates. People are more likely | | | | for what it is: lack of integrity. On the other hand, |
| to be loyal to leaders who know where they're | | | | when the leader sets a good example with his or |
| going and have a big dream of what can be. Even | | | | her own mistakes, subordinates are more likely to |
| at the lowest levels of leadership, that vision can | | | | respect them. |
| make the difference between a leader who is | | | | What's important though is that these aren't, or |
| adequate, and one who is dynamite! | | | | at least shouldn't be, secrets. Alas, my |
| 2. People make leaders successful. Leaders may | | | | observations have proven to me that in too |
| have the vision, see the bigger picture, and have | | | | many cases, they are. Is this all you need to |
| the larger investment or the most experience in | | | | know about leadership? No. But these three |
| some aspect of the organization. But, leaders | | | | secrets are where it all starts. |