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  From Jim Murray, August 1997. |
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Effective Leader
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Warren Bennis has interviewed hundreds of
business leaders over the years and served as adviser to four US presidents. Here Dr.
Bennis shares his insights on what separates good leaders from bad ones -- and how
ordinary managers can become extraordinary leaders. What does
it take to be an effective leader today? The essence of leadership is still character. The
essence of character is integrity, passion, curiosity, daring and a guiding vision,
without which a leader doesn't know what he wants to do or where he wants to go. Unlike
the old command-and- control style, those who want to be leaders in the 21st century will
have to be highly flexible and have a broad range of skills. In order to lead and keep
great people, leaders must be articulate, energetic and empowering. They must be willing
to inspire a collaborative approach that lets them tap into the endless source of ideas,
innovation, know-how and knowledge of the people they lead. |
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Leaders or manager
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What distinguishes leaders from managers?
Leaders are interested in direction, vision, goals, objectives, effectiveness and purpose.
Managers are interested in efficiency, both day-to-day and short-run. But any manager can
become a leader by setting hi her sights higher. Managers administer while leaders
innovate. Managers focus on systems and structure; leaders focus on people. Managers rely
on control; leaders inspire trust. Managers have their eye on the bottom line; leaders
have their eye on the horizon. The best leaders care about both the small and big
pictures. They sweat the details -- but they also have the ability to make people feel
valued ... to inspire and energize them, to nurture their creativity and to encourage them
to take risks and learn from their mistakes. |
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Becoming a Leader
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What can one do to become a super leader?
First, be your own best teacher. No one can teach you how to become yourself, to take
charge, to express yourself. Except you. Don't stand on the sidelines. Get involved in new
projects, new ideas and challenging assignments. Get up to bat as often as you can, and
practice your skills as much as possible. Take responsibility for your failures. True leaders blame no one but themselves. Leaders learn through reflective
experience. Some experiences were negative, such as being demoted or fired. The key is to
learn from such setbacks. Crisis has a way of revealing who we really are. |
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Mistakes
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What is the biggest mistake a leader can
make? Taking too much credit. In fact, a good leader never takes credit. Leaders gain
trust, loyalty, excitement and energy when they pass on the credit to those who have
really done the work. An ego should not be so big that you lose your associates' respect.
Good leaders are good followers. Leaders and followers share some important
characteristics, particularly the ability to collaborate and the ability to listen.
Leaders ask great questions. They want to know what and why. That's how they stayed on the
leading edge of change. |
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Trust
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How does a leader gain trust? There is no
such thing as instant trust. Trust has to be earned. A leader can't be phony because
people can easily detect phoniness. One of the ways we generate and sustain trust is by
caring about the fate of others, by being on their side. Always be true to your word and
keeping confidences. When leaders say one thing and do
another, they quickly lose trust. |
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e-mail jgmurray@granite.sentex.ca |
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New articles
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instructions. |
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