The Essence Of Leadership...

In our previous blog, we talked about the bottomline of Leadership;
for this issue, we will discuss about the “essence” of Leadership.
But what’s the difference between “bottomline” and “essence”
anyway? Is the former more important than the latter or
the other way around?

First, while bottomline speaks of output, essence is about the
crucial elements in Leadership for this matter. What then are these
“crucial” elements? How do we acquire them?

VISION. To get the attention of others, specially the supporters
you wish for, a Leader needs to have an exciting and mutually
beneficial vision.

Let’s take a look at this angle…

Leaders for good.
If effective work is to be done then there will need to be leadership,
otherwise people will thrash around in a fog. Leadership involves,
for me, helping the organization to discover, express its own purposes
and values which enable those involved with the organization to
commit themselves to the organization sufficiently that they will use
their intelligence and creativity in its support. That probably means
that the central purpose of the organization will need to be expressed
and lived in terms that people can identify with and with underlying
values that they can be proud of. Maybe “to serve the public by
producing good value x’s and doing so in such a way that all
employees are able to use and develop their talents” would be more
likely to inspire people than “to make more profit than last year”?
Leadership like this will need to be shown at all levels.
(Nicholas Heap)

See, this vision should be of helpful service which could easily be
shared and pushed to get the ball rolling. Yet, although we can not
control everything, visions do not really change… but it’s your plans
that need to be flexible enough to absorb, adjust to and predict
changes. Hence, it would certainly be good to have contingency
plans in firing up objectives.

TRUST. Once you have that “vision” in line, you now have to act
swiftly and positively to lay the foundation of trust.

Take note that trust can only be built if we have genuine concern for
others; if we have respect; if we walk the talk; if we have integrity.

On Integrity.
Harris: “What single quality makes an industrial leader?”
Woodroofe: “No single quality, but an indispensable one is integrity.
No doubt about it. Assuming certain qualities like efficiency,
imagination, shrewdness, doggedness and so on, the all-essential
one is integrity.”
Harris: “What do you mean by integrity in this context?”
Woodroofe: “Most decisions in business are based on uncertainties
because you don’t have all the information you would theoretically
like to have, but having what you have, you must use your judgment
and decide. But, and this is what I mean by the overriding importance
of integrity, the decision must be made within the framework of the
responsibilities the businessman carries. He has responsibilities to
the shareholders, the employees, the consumers, even the
government of the day. He has to balance these responsibilities
thoroughly, justly and without bias. You could, for instance, make a
decision which was to the benefit of your shareholders but to the
detriment of the community as a whole. Not doing that, and knowing
why you are not going to do it, and what not doing it is going to cost
you, is what I mean by integrity.”
(Kenneth Harris of The Obeserver in an interview with
Sir Ernest Woodroofe, Unilever Chairman, 1970)

Now that we are in the digital age and having most all the necessary
information… does it mean that “integrity” is no longer significant?
Huh, think again. Can you imagine engaging with an entity without
integrity? What do you think would happen? You know the answer.

Coming up on the next blog... the action word of the essentials.

Remember... “Leadership is a continuing process… and Key to your
Development depends on your ability to learn from others.”