Nothing to do with Leadership Qualities: How to sustain learning, perseverance and action?
What Dan Rockwell says and what I say.
I read a short post on Leadership qualities by Dan Rockwell. In essence it says (with slight editing):
1. You can’t lead when you know too much. Why?
Education system establishes barriers to thinking. Everything that comes your way is instantly judged by what you know. In some cases the less you know the more open you are. People with knowledge say things like, “We can’t do that because…”
2. You can’t lead when you have too much experience.
You’ve been doing your job for years. You say things like, “We have always done it this way.” People with experience resist change. Knowledge and experience hold leaders back when they result in closed minds.
Rockwell goes on…The four qualities that count for a leader are:
1. Character: is acting in harmony with who we are and in alignment with noble virtues.
2. Curiosity: is the ability to withhold judgment long enough to consider alternatives. In a changing world the ability to ask questions is more powerful than making statements.
3. Courage: is willingness to act boldly and decisively while taking responsibility.
4. Action driven: in a world full of “can’t do’s” successful leaders ask “What can we do?” And following this question with any small action is far better than a bleak future run on inaction…
New worlds displace old worlds. Turbulence, new regulations, cultural shifts, and technological advancements make old knowledge and past experience less relevant. During changing times leaders must possess these four qualities.
We are at our best remembering all the “good” reasons for doing nothing. As we grow wiser and in age, we discover how foolish and pathetic we refrained from taking any small action in the proper direction…” End of post
I say:
If these are the necessary qualities for leadership, the world must be packed with leaders: Most people are mediocre in background knowledge, in necessary sustained knowledge, in varieties of experience, are engaged in (mindless) action-packed life-style…
Don’t you think that the kinds of George Bush Jr. satisfy Rockwell’s qualities for leadership?
How can you be curious if you lacked the stamina to keep learning and acquiring experience?
How can you be courageous if you lacked the basic drive to maintaining the necessary catalyst to keeping up with this changing world?
Displaying patience is one of the main characteristics of a leader. Patience is a gift of trust, humility, and confidence to those who aren’t there yet.
Rockwell resumes in another post:
“Patient leaders intentionally and courageously give space – exercise restraint – for development and growth of people.
Growth implies potential but potential is a “not yet” term.
Development suggests inadequacy or lack. Developing others (what others?) demands patience.
Impatience with people weakens the team.
Patient leaders possess trust, humility, and confidence.
- Patience is trusting, believing in the potential of others.
- Patience is humbly holding back “your knowing” in order to facilitate the knowing of others and then celebrating their growth. It never says, “I knew that.”
- Patience confidently says, “You have more in you.”
Invest:
Patient leaders put themselves on the line by investing their leadership collateral in potential. Your efforts may not turn out well.
Projects may take longer. Invest in those with character, aptitude, and positive attitudes.
Assure success by going with:
- Openness to learning. Those who already know have performance potential but don’t have growth-potential. People who acknowledge they don’t know, have taken the first step toward learning.
- Dedication.
- Energy.
- Intelligence.
- Initiative.
- Respect. You influence those who respect you.
Practical:
Go with proven experience on high-profile, high risk ventures.
Don’t assign someone who’s in the process of development to projects that could crush them or destroy you.
How patient should a leader be with:
- Unethical or immoral behavior.
- Lack of effort or laziness.
- Low aptitude – reassign.
- Repeated failure.
- Rebellion.
- Destructive attitudes.
- Disloyalty.
Rockwell wrote that leaders should not exhibit any patience with the previous 7 limitations in any individual.
And I wonder: Should the leader be patient only with the normal and “adequate citizens”?
Aren’t all our deficiencies a result of community lack of proper nurturing for its members?
From whom the leader of any community gets feedback for the need to reform?
From the traditional and conservative members? Or from these individuals who are in a state of rebellion by exhibiting attitudes that do not conform to the norms and customs?
Is Rockwell taking a convenient stance so that his “Me-Self” pleases the current common wisdom of the community of “Zero tolerance” ejaculations?
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