A Commitment of Leadership

Better leadership will produce superior results. As a leader, whether of a department or an entire organization, questions should be considered so that the answers will add the most value. In Kouzes and Posner’s book, The Leadership Challenge, the authors propose a framework in which to ask thought-provoking questions.

There are five practices and ten commitments of leadership. Model the way by finding your voice and clarifying your personal values, and set the example by aligning actions with shared values. Inspire a shared vision by imaging exciting possibilities and enlist others in a common vision by appealing to shared aspirations. Challenge the process by searching for opportunities by seeking innovative ways to change, grow and improve and experiment and take risks by constantly generating small wins and learning from mistakes. Enable others to act by fostering collaboration, promoting cooperative goals and building trust that strengthens others through sharing power and discretion. Finally, encourage the heart by recognizing contributions and showing appreciation for individual excellence, and celebrate the values and victories by creating a spirit of community. What you have here is almost a career’s worth of work!

In this article, I’d like to focus on some ideas and examples to understand and support the first practice in one’s ability to ‘model the way.’

To find your voice, you need to clarify your values and express yourself. If you don’t believe the messenger you won’t believe the message. And you can’t believe the messenger if you don’t know what the messenger believes. What do people perceive when you speak, write or send emails? What type of impression is being created with your communication?

Values refer to our ‘here and now’ beliefs about how things should be accomplished and values serve as a guide to our actions. Here are some key questions to ask: Do I have clear values as a leader? Do my followers recognize my values through key actions that I demonstrate? Am I engaged in self-development efforts that focus on my strengths? Do I have written personal leadership goals?

The best benchmark you can use on your journey to becoming a trusted leader is your own best behavior. You have great control over your behavior and can demonstrate it on a regular basis where you are under observation constantly. Be candid about the areas in which you need help or support. Let people see that things don’t come naturally to you. Let people see that you’re trying to improve in certain areas. I let my associates know when I was taking a particular course in graduate school and what new lessons I was learning. I asked them for their feedback and comments. I was willing to confess that an idea was new to me. This allowed the opportunity for uncertainty and failure.

More importantly, I created an environment where new methods or procedures could be utilized and accepted. My associates also felt empowered to risk new ideas that contributed to our growth and improvement as well. Your associates will relate better to you and gain courage to make their own changes if they perceive you as someone who needs improvements and is willing to confess and attempt change. Professor and author Warren Bennis tells us that leadership stands in the same relationship to empowerment that management does to compliance. Your ability to influence and affect change is enhanced when you can empower someone versus coercing them to act. There’s an old saying that “a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.”

Leadership can move followers to higher degrees of consciousness, such as liberty, freedom and self-actualization. The last degree, self-actualization, was an idea originally described by one of the original positive psychologists, Abraham Maslow. In his hierarchy of needs pyramid, after physiological and psychological needs were met, the opportunity exists for one to “become all that one can become.” I learned recently that this is not an end point but a continual opening as human beings can continue to grow, develop and contribute. What a great value we can add as leaders if we are able to create the environment where both we and our followers can develop to the point of self-actualization! Think of the contribution people can make to an enterprise and how satisfied their work can be with the opportunity for recognition of their progress and growth.

It’s a myth, Bennis says, that leaders are born, not made. Major capacities and competencies of leadership can be learned. Think about what you had to learn to grow into your position. Others can be taught if they are motivated and supported by your leadership. Start by setting an example. Build and affirm shared values and align your actions with values. Why are shared values important? Research confirms that firms with a strong corporate culture, based on a foundation of shared values, outperform other firms by a huge margin.

To examine how your actions may align with your values, consider the following five essential aspects of behavior:

Calendars - how you spend your time shows your priorities. People watch what you do, not just listen to what you say.

Critical incidents - seize opportunities to teach and be on the lookout for opportunities to learn.

Stories, analogies and metaphors - think of a story of your learning experience that you can share with your followers.

Language - choose words and questions deliberately. We service clients and do not sell to customers at Greco Apparel because our attitude is that we “protect the interests” of our clients as opposed to just selling a product or service to customers.

Measurements - recognize and accept that what gets measured, gets done. Be cautious in setting your incentive systems because people are very clever and sophisticated. They will figure out how to accomplish the goal if the goal is compelling enough and you have provided the proper support mechanisms and resources.

Setting the example is essentially doing what you say you will do. This is simple but not often easy. Don’t abuse your leadership power by making excuses for your own lack of performance. This is called “devolving” and as a leader it’s tempting to think we might get away with behavioral lapses. Your followers will be watching. Leaders are measured by the consistency of deeds and words.

There are three essential themes in the values of highly successful and strong culture organizations: high performance standards, a caring attitude towards people (the three headline words in our Greco Apparel mission statement are: reliable, dedicated and caring) and a sense of uniqueness and pride. Every question you ask is another learning opportunity. Try asking a client: “what would have to be true for you to want us to be your main supplier in the future?” Asking good questions rather than giving answers forces you to listen attentively to your constituents and what they’re saying.

Keep score. Try using the 360-degree feedback method. Solicit feedback from your customers, vendors, peers, associates and shareholders. Make your data public. Do a personal audit but have someone else do it for you. What are your daily routines? Are you spending time on matters consistent with your shared values? Review your memos, emails and messages. Are you using language and giving guidance that demonstrates your words are in alignment with your values?

I realize there are many questions here. But if you are not asking them, who is? Use your answers as feedback to continue learning and make adjustments as necessary. There are many daily interactions that give us the opportunity to express leadership values. Paying attention, asking the questions, and making the changes may be hard work, but you and your organization will be rewarded.

Joseph Greco is president of Greco Apparel. Visit them on the web at www.grecoapparel.com