The 100 Faces of Leadership
Part II
In our February 2009 newsletter, I began sharing excerpts from a book I am writing called The 100 Faces of Leadership. The book is based on my leadership workshops and defines the many activities of effective leaders. In this article, I reveal a number of other faces that leaders portray as they chart their course and make their impact.
Leaders Motivate People
One of the more challenging tasks for leaders is to sustain the energy and focus of their teams. Even the most compelling vision will fail if leaders do not ignite the spark necessary to excite their followers. The best motivational strategies appeal to the individual's need for belonging, recognition and achievement. In today's knowledge and experience-based economy, most people seek to make a difference and a contribution. Linking the work of our organizations to these higher-level needs of our people keeps motivation at a high level.
Leaders are Reflective
Leaders take the time to think. They preserve the necessary white space in their lives to evaluate alternatives and to ponder the possibilities of their actions. Rather than rushing to action prematurely, leaders apportion enough, but not too much, time to assess the pros and cons of their plans. Some leaders actually carve out specific time on their calendars each day to ensure dedicated time for reflection.
Leaders Know How to Win Others Over
Former Chrysler Chairman Lee Iococca once noted that "you can have brilliant ideas, but if you can't get them across, your ideas won't get you anywhere". Leaders know how to "sell" their ideas effectively to their boss, their colleagues and their customers. Leaders effectively "close the deal" by doing their homework, listening, adjusting for the communication preferences of others, presenting with passion and following up "after the sale". Most of all, leaders appreciate that objections often signal that the audience simply is interested in continuing the conversation and may need more information to overcome their initial resistance.
Leaders Delegate
Leaders appreciate that they cannot do everything themselves. They have become successful by learning to leverage the talents of those around them. Their impact on their organizations has grown in direct proportion to their ability to trust others to do important work. Leaders look beyond grunt work when they delegate and instead hand over meaningful assignments that stretch their people and provide them with a sense of accomplishment and contribution. Leaders look to continuously expand the bench strength of their organizations by lengthening the list of people they can go to to get work done. | 
