I have the privilege of being in the business of developing leaders. For the first 18 years of my work life I only got to participate in leadership development programs, but for the last 14 years I’ve assumed a different role and had the chance to influence mostly young adult minds about a subject I am passionate about. I love it.
As we develop leaders, we can talk about what leaders do, how they do it, and why they do it. The most important to me by far is the “why” of leadership. I personally have little interest in teaching skills to people that would take those skills and use them for the wrong reasons.
Real excellence in leadership occurs when people know the things that need to be done, can do those things with distinction, and do them for the right reasons. This alignment between the what, how and why is the pinnacle of leadership.
As I have lamented here before, too many leaders are content with the pursuit of “practical” skills, and there is no shortage of folks around to take their money to provide those services. I wish more leaders would wean themselves from the comfort of expediency and struggle with the more elusive abstract issues, those of the heart and mind.
The relentless pursuit of proper purpose takes the leader down an entirely different path of development. Those folks that grasp the full spectrum of why their leadership matters have an opportunity to leave a legacy that transcends their skills and abilities.
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Hi Bret, how true. I find leaders are so caught up in “action” and “doing” that the time needed for reflection, thought, and some of deep work needed isn’t considered “productive”. I encourage leaders to schedule a reflective practice into their day – for journaling, meditation, prayer, or whatever is needed. Its a hard sell in the fast-paced, all consuming world of the corporation (and the reality of their outside-of-work lives as well) but the best leaders see the benefits. Thanks for being an advocate.
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:52 am
That must be a tough sell, MJ. The marketplace for practical has shutdown the marketplace for purposeful and that is unfortunate. I think only what is purposeful is practical. Thanks! Bret
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I very much agree with Mary Jo’s approach. I think reflection is very much missing from not only most leadership practice, but also from most leadership development efforts. When I was teaching leadership in the classroom, I tried to focus the course more on the “why” than the “how” and the “what”.
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:24 am
I think that is especially critical with young folks. They are much more of a clean slate. If we can get them started with good habits early, much better than trying to break strong ones later. Thanks, Tom! Bret
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It’s impossible to play the devil’s advocate today…I couldn’t agree more.
My foundation principle for leadership development or personal growth is what I call
“The Best Predictor of Future Success…
the ability & willingness to learn & change
achieved through consistent REFLECTION on
truth delivered through experience,
feedback, success, and failure.”
Leaders with space for reflection will accelerate their growth, performance, and influence.
Just another advocate out here…
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Bret L. Simmons Reply:
December 2nd, 2009 at 11:21 am
Welcome, Steve! Thanks for adding your perspective on this. I like it. But please feel free to return and play the devil’s advocate anytime. Thanks! Bret
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