The Leadership Challenge
The book, “The Leadership Challenge”, has been sold over 1.5 million copies, claimed as the most trusted source on becoming a better leader. Some critic believes that it is because the book is research-based, it is practical, and it has heart! In deed, a presentation by one of the authors, Barry Posner, showed us all.
The title of Dr. Posner’s presentation showed two sides of the same coin: What people want from their leaders or why would anyone follow you? He continued with a citation from Charles Darwin: “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change,” followed by another one from Edward Demming: “Change is not required … because survival is not mandatory.”
So, in this changing world, what is the simplest definition of a leader? With more than 20 years of research, Dr. Posner kept surveying people from different classes and different locations and countries. Surprisingly, the top 4 most wanted leadership characteristics always are
- Honest
- Competent
- Inspiring
- Forward-Looking
Credibility is the foundation of leadership. As Coopers & Lyband have pointed out: “Higher degree of management trust is the number one characteristic of innovative companies.”
Leadership is a relationship. Dr. Posner provided the following 7 lessons for leaders:
- Character counts
- Know your self
- Grow big ears
- Develop capacity
- Make something happen
- Keep hope alive
- Show them, don’t tell them
The 4th edition of the book will be out soon, with 389 pages of lessons and ideas for leaders now and of the future. I have one with Dr. Posner’s signature. The combination of both the book and the presentation helps me identify true leaders that I have encountered through my career. They are role models, who inspire people even when they are not around.
