Guest Column: Leadership as Art and Science

There are currently over 50,000 leadership titles listed on Amazon. In a recent survey, 77% of organizations reported gaps in leadership, with 83% saying developing leaders at every level was critical.1 It’s a topic that continues to attract great interest from experienced practitioners and new and aspiring leaders. There is no single factor determinant of an organization’s success; however, leadership is certainly on the shortlist.

Three highly respected leadership experts define leadership as follows:

• Warren Bennis: “Leadership is the ability to translate vision into reality.”
• John Maxwell: “Leadership is influence—nothing more, nothing less.”
• Marissa Mayer: “Leadership is helping believe in a better tomorrow or a better outcome than you have today.”

These are good definitions. They are rudimentary, but they open the door for a deeper understanding. In this column, I will attempt to dissect the expansive topic of leadership into its various elements. I will blend the theoretical with the practical. I will reference key thought leaders in the field for their important insights. Because there is value in history—how views on leadership have evolved over time, lessons from the past, and their application to our current day—I may also include some of my own experiences if useful to further drive home a point.

There are a number of excellent leadership models that can be considered, and something can be learned from each. You’ll find a lot of similarities when comparing them. I developed my own over a period of years by studying other models and then selecting, modifying, and combining the respective principles I found most valuable. The example of other effective leaders was also an influence on my own model.

I’m a big believer in the concept of simplicity. Simple is usually better, and, as Leonardo da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” If you’re asked to share your leadership principles and can’t do it in a few minutes or less, chances are they are either too complicated or you’ve yet to crystalize them for yourself. Accordingly, I aimed for my framework to be relevant and straightforward. I’ll be painting with a broad brush in this introduction, as the following high-level framework will serve as an outline for future column topics. The ideas shared may not be new, but it’s my goal and hope that you’ll find them useful wherever you are on your personal leadership journey.

Leadership Principles

Let me begin with what I believe great leadership is. My leadership model is composed of five key principles or practices, and each is substantial in and of itself. I believe, when viewed collectively, they cover the essential aspects of effective leadership.

Having the Highest Ethics and Integrity

Having the highest ethics and integrity is intentionally listed first. Peter Drucker said, “Although followers will forgive a leader much, they will never forgive a lack of integrity.” Personal integrity must be a part of everything that a leader does, and without it, a leader has no legitimacy to lead and will not be trusted. Leaders must model the way. Say what you’re going to do and then ensure you follow through and do it. The familiar phrase “she walks the talk” comes to mind here. Personal integrity plays a major role in a professional becoming a leader.

Being Future Focused

Being future focused is about vision, mission, and strategy. This is a vital principle of effective leadership. Providing clarity of direction, structure, measurement, and a shared sense of purpose is paramount to an organization’s overall success. When a leader can paint a compelling picture of the future, and articulate the “why” behind it, the “how” becomes easy. If this is done well, it can serve as an incredible inspiration and motivation for people.

Enabling Others to Act

Enabling others to act refers to empowerment. This entails job enlargement and enrichment. Giving employees more control and autonomy over their work leads to enhanced engagement, productivity, and creativity. It requires a management mindset that facilitates sharing information, increasing responsibility, and yielding power. I think about this process as inverting the traditional pyramidal hierarchy of organizations. Servant leadership is very much emblematic of these concepts.

Fostering the Right Environment

Fostering the right environment is about building culture. The culture of any social unit includes group norms, shared perceptions, espoused values, and consensus around goals and objectives. Culture includes the way people interact with each other, how they solve problems, and how they justify themselves. Culture is the glue that holds the organization together and can be described as “the way we get stuff done around here.” A healthy vs. toxic culture is the difference between success and failure, and leaders play the pivotal role in shaping culture.

Nurturing Growth and Development

The fifth and final principle is nurturing growth and development. This principle is multidimensional. Most organizations never realize their full potential, and it is often due to a lack of emphasis on this area. This principle can truly be a force multiplier. It includes the benefits of increased engagement, retention, organizational capability, and capacity all driving better business performance. Investing in the organization’s most valuable asset is good business.

Leadership Success

With this brief introduction, I’m looking forward to taking a deeper dive into the topic of leadership. Leadership is a combination of both innate traits and learned skills. Some people may be born with natural leadership traits, but their success often depends on how they develop and refine those qualities through learning and experience. The study of leadership can, and should, be educational, fascinating, stimulating, and rewarding. It’s my expectation that, in some small way, this column accomplishes this.