We all come to leadership loaded with qualities and shortcomings. We call this unique combination of pluses and minuses personality.
On a level we cannot always discern, personality determines whether we attract or repel the people we are charged with leading. It follows that we cannot effectively lead others effectively unless we effectively manage and lead ourselves.
For the purpose of better understanding how personality or personal qualities and shortcomings affect the effectiveness of leaders, I’ve examined and identified six facets of personality as they pertain to leadership.
I call them the Six Leadership Attraction Powers. They are Accountability, Empathy, Maturity, Engagement, Reflection, and Tenacity. Owning and managing these six Leadership Attraction Powers requires balance.
Recently my conviction regarding the importance of balance was reinforced by a TED Talk by Tony Schwartz, CEO of the Energy Project.
Tony reminds us of the need for balance in our everyday lives when he says, “Honesty without compassion is cruelty.”
Who hasn’t been asked, “Do these pants make my backside look big?” Even when the honest answer is, “No, your backside makes those pants look big,” empathy demands that we temper our honesty in a compassionate way.
Likewise in the workplace, Accountability without Engagement or Engagement without Accountability will defeat your efforts to achieve the kind of commitment and performance that sets your teams apart from and ahead of your competitors.
For a clear and candid evaluation of yourself as a leader, allow me to recommend our Leadership Attraction Profile. To learn more about how this works, why not try our obligation-free, MMini-LAP, and I will personally contact you to discuss your results. This is my way of giving back!
I also strongly recommend our CoachQuest Leader-as-Coach Program. There you will learn and practice the leadership skills you need to address alongside leaders like you from other organizations with many of the same challenges. Learn more about CoachQuest.
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