The Secret to Authentic Leadership; Where's Your True North?
Our recently posted Harvard Business Review IdeaCast gave you some idea of what holds leaders back . But what really propels them forward? Bill George, author of "True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership" sat down with The Wall Street Journal to offer some examples of effective senior executives, and to explain what makes leaders excel:
What we learned [from our interviews] was that leadership is not about traits and characteristics. What really stood out was (the leaders') life stories. That's where they found their passion to lead -- their experiences. That's what gave them the authenticity of leadership. A lot of the inauthentic leaders got pulled off by trying to be something different than they were.Amy Bernstein of strategy+business brought up a great question in her interview with George. Everyone has a story. Does that mean everyone can be a great leader? How can people use their stories to become more effective. George explains it doesn't necessarily matter what your story is -- it's how you respond to it; how you use that story to motivate your path in life.
So what if you know what really matters to you -- your true north -- and your following your values, but not moving ahead? George recommends:
Try to find a role that plays both to your motivations and to your strengths -- what we call the sweet spot. [Someone] could be a trader on Wall Street and be really good at it, but not be passionate about it, and they probably won't get ahead or be successful. Conversely, they could be highly motivated at something and just not be all that good at it.More Insight from Bill George:People need to find that sweet spot that brings together their greatest capabilities with their motivations. That's where they're going to be most effective. Many people find themselves sidetracked in their careers and it's actually a good thing to pull back and have some consultation. We really need mentors to help us through those difficult times. My wife has been the best counselor I've had.
A Conversation about Leadership
Where Have All the Leaders Gone?
(Heading North image courtesy of m.prinke, cc 2.0)