Thoughts from Guy

Learning and Leadership

When we consider the work of leadership, we tend to think of responsibilities like “build a team,” “define what’s important,” and “drive action and results.” We think of the outward-focused aspects of leadership. I think, however, the work of leadership begins with an inner-focused effort to develop character and capabilities.

With executives I coach, we often discuss the irony that the quality of your outward impact in the world depends on the quality of your inner effort to develop your own perspective, character and skill. “Leaders are learners!” is a favorite saying of a colleague of mine. The most effective executives don’t regard leadership skills as innate or as the byproduct of experience alone. Rather, they regard leadership skills as learnable, and they know learning comes only through intentional effort.

Learning about leadership can seem dauntingly complex. The good news is that leaders can focus on a set of capabilities that foster exceptional leadership across most situations. I think of these capabilities as two types: personal qualities – aspects of character that determine how you approach the world, and professional competencies – skills that relate directly to the activities of executive leadership.

Personal qualities may be the strongest predictors of executive success (see “21st Century Talent Spotting,” a recent Harvard Business Review article by Claudio Fernández-Aráoz). These four are particularly important:

  • Learning Orientation: curiosity about people and situations, openness to new experiences and ideas, non-defensive attitude about feedback.
  • Insightfulness: the ability to gather information and to discern implications and possibilities.
  • Consistency: the ability to “walk the talk” and to demonstrate – in decision, action and demeanor – personal commitment to the vision and values of the organization.
  • Resilience: the ability to bounce back from disappointment and to persist in the face of challenges and obstacles.

While most leadership positions require role-specific skills, four competencies apply to most executive leadership situations:

  • Emotional Intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, empathy and relationship skills.
  • Listening: paying attention and actively striving to understand people as well as substantive issues and opportunities.
  • Strategic Vision: the ability to grasp complex situations and produce clear, conceptual articulations of a desired future.
  • Influence Skills: the ability to inspire others’ commitment to particular goals and values, and to have a positive impact on what people think, feel and do.

As leaders strive to develop their qualities and skills, it is important they identify how they learn most effectively, and center their efforts on these modes. In this sense, it pays for leaders to “learn how to learn.” There are many options regarding methods (mentoring, coaching, peer groups, seminars, professional education programs, self-study, reflection, reading, etc.) and content (concepts, models, principles, lessons, stories, etc.). The key is for leaders to identify the methods and content that work best for them.

The most effective leaders I’ve known are life-long learners, continually developing the personal qualities and competencies that inspire strong followership and superior results. For any leader, the questions become, “how do my personal qualities support my effectiveness as a leader,” and, “what leadership skills are most important for my role?” The answers to these questions point the way toward exceptional leadership.

Learning and Leadership is an aspect of Individual Capabilities, the first factor in IMPACT Leadership, a model of the fundamental work of leadership.

© 2015 Guy Cornelius

 

With executives I coach, we often discuss the irony that the quality of your outward impact in the world depends on the quality of your inner effort to develop your own perspective, character and skill. “Leaders are learners!” is a favorite saying of a colleague of mine. The most effective executives don’t regard leadership skills as innate or as the byproduct of experience alone. Rather, they regard leadership skills as learnable, and they know learning comes only through intentional effort.

Learning about leadership can seem dauntingly complex. The good news is that leaders can focus on a set of capabilities that foster exceptional leadership across most situations. I think of these capabilities as two types: personal qualities – aspects of character that determine how you approach the world, and professional competencies – skills that relate directly to the activities of executive leadership.

Personal qualities may be the strongest predictors of executive success (see “21st Century Talent Spotting,” a recent Harvard Business Review article by Claudio Fernández-Aráoz). These four are particularly important:

  • Learning Orientation: curiosity about people and situations, openness to new experiences and ideas, non-defensive attitude about feedback.
  • Insightfulness: the ability to gather information and to discern implications and possibilities.
  • Consistency: the ability to “walk the talk” and to demonstrate – in decision, action and demeanor – personal commitment to the vision and values of the organization.
  • Resilience: the ability to bounce back from disappointment and to persist in the face of challenges and obstacles.

While most leadership positions require role-specific skills, four competencies apply to most executive leadership situations:

  • Emotional Intelligence: self-awareness, self-management, empathy and relationship skills.
  • Listening: paying attention and actively striving to understand people as well as substantive issues and opportunities.
  • Strategic Vision: the ability to grasp complex situations and produce clear, conceptual articulations of a desired future.
  • Influence Skills: the ability to inspire others’ commitment to particular goals and values, and to have a positive impact on what people think, feel and do.

As leaders strive to develop their qualities and skills, it is important they identify how they learn most effectively, and center their efforts on these modes. In this sense, it pays for leaders to “learn how to learn.” There are many options regarding methods (mentoring, coaching, peer groups, seminars, professional education programs, self-study, reflection, reading, etc.) and content (concepts, models, principles, lessons, stories, etc.). The key is for leaders to identify the methods and content that work best for them.

The most effective leaders I’ve known are life-long learners, continually developing the personal qualities and competencies that inspire strong followership and superior results. For any leader, the questions become, “how do my personal qualities support my effectiveness as a leader,” and, “what leadership skills are most important for my role?” The answers to these questions point the way toward exceptional leadership.

Learning and Leadership is an aspect of Individual Capabilities, the first factor in IMPACT Leadership, a model of the fundamental work of leadership.

© 2015 Guy Cornelius

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