March 1997: Volume 12, Number 6

Essentials of Leadership

By Vaughn Dragland

t’s funny. Sometimes answers to life’s questions just seem to come to you out of the blue; especially when your mind is receptive and tuned to receive. For example, I had been thinking about what to say to a colleague at work, who wanted some straightforward advise on how to not only manage people, but become a true leader.

I was at a customer’s office, attending a meeting, and happened to glance up at a poster on the wall. There it was – in a nutshell – a concise list of the four key behaviors of leadership! During a break, I copied down the following points so I could share them with my friend. I thought I might share them with you too, so here they are:

The Four Key Behaviors:

1. – Be an example:
   • Align actions with words.
   • Respect others.
   • Work together as a team.
   
   
   
2. – Take ownership:
   • Take Responsibility for actions.
   • Meet commitments.
   • Reward results rather than intentions.
   
   
   
3. – Practice fair and equitable treatment:
   • Make decisions based on facts.
   • Be a good listener.
   • Cultivate diversity.
   • Abide by a "code of conduct".
   
   
   
4. – Seek Participation and Involvement:
   • Communicate clearly.
   • Respect diversity.
   • Provide candid feedback.
   • Learn from mistakes.
   
   
   

The author’s name was not on the poster, so I don’t know who to thank for these gems, but perhaps I can give my thanks by observing the Four Key Behaviors in my work and in my leisure. Why don’t you give it some thought, too?

Simple concepts like "setting an example", "taking ownership", "being fair", and "seeking participation", are values we all know to be worthwhile. The real key to effective leadership is putting these values into action.

T < G