A Great Leader

A characteristic of a great leader, in my view, is one who is relevant.  Relevance. What is it to be relevant? Moreover, how do I determine my relevance as a leader? As a matter of fact, how do I measure that?

Yesterday I sat in a meeting with a highly educated peer who asked me what I do. When I mentioned that I inter alia equip and develop leadership and ethics potential, he said he found those subjects esoteric, and how do I do that?

Firstly I was intrigued by his use of the term “esoteric”. According to definition it means

“intended for or likely to be understood by only a small number of people with a specialized knowledge or interest.”, or

“understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge”.

Well, in that case thank you Sam for including me with such an elite grouping. I take it as a compliment.  However, I am wondering whether we don’t lump ‘relevance’ – and especially as a leader – into the same stormy esoteric teacup.

Because I like to keep things simple, lets break it down. “Relevance” seems to be mostly defined as

“important to the matter at hand”, or

“Something is relevant to a task if it increases the likelihood of accomplishing the goal”.

So restating the question: Am I as leader important to, and increasing the likelihood of those following me, in reaching their goals? Perhaps I should first spend a little time to determine what the “matter at hand” really amounts to, and how the goal should be defined. Too often we, and those in our offices, live from month-end to month-end and the little EFT at that month-end. And then we start all over again.

So am I relevant to those in my office – in setting goals, in helping them to achieve even personal goals in their careers, jobs, lives?  To be a great leader and even a great boss?  Or should I ask myself – what is it that I need to do to become relevant in the lives of my personnel and the peers around me even? I may be surprised at the answers I receive.

A second question to ask is whether, and how, I am relevant in the lives of my clients and customers. Sure, I may be a financial intermediary to them but that does not imply relevance per se.  Or I may be a tradesman or some other occupation society may want to deem a minor nuisance.  Face it – I don’t see a plumber unless I have (usually an expensive) problem.

The fact is, we all are capable of relevance. Regardless. And a plumber with an understanding of his relevance will make a difference – like the US taxi driver who sends his client base Christmas cards every year. Yes, a taxi driver with a client base! Relevant.

So where do I begin? First sit down and make a cup of coffee. Then to think of those around me – staff, family, then clients – and think on what level and to what degree I am relevant in their lives. Do I add to the likelihood of them achieving their goals? These should primarily be business goals as we are on business time.  But it may (even should) include some personal goals.  If so, how?  And whether I am important to the matter that is important to them.

It may take several cups of coffee.

Marketing & Ethics or Marketing vs Ethics

At a recent countrywide workshop, I presented to a specific interest group on building an ethics vision in the financial industry. I used the last 30 seconds of a 75 minute time slot to introduce/promote/market my recent publication to the various audiences. Why these different terms? Because they all apply and, more specifically, I received what may be construed as a complaint.

One member of the audience asked, on the comment card, how ethical it was for me to promote my book to a captive audience. After thinking a while on the pathology of his question I realised why it bothered me. It bothered me because he had missed the point, the golden thread of the presentation. That was not what ethics is about at all.

An Interesting Angle on Truthfulness

Indubitably – nice word that, learnt it from Bert of Mary Poppins fame – indubitably character forms part of the foundation out of which ethics will grow – or not, as the case might be.  Ethics do grow, obviously, as I exercise that particular part of my character.  The problem arises in that we have good intentions (such as after our workshop) to exercise the ethics part of our lives  a little more seriously and find ourselves overwhelmed by all the different facets clamouring for attention.  Soon we tire ourselves out ethically speaking, just trying to keep the various balls of ethics in the air. Why?

For one we first and foremost need to concentrate on the foundations of ethics – yes, you guessed it – character.  Ah, but I take offence when someone implies that I have character traits missing.  Such a reaction is akin to saying that I am perfect – at least in ethics and character – and that no room for improvement exists.  I propose that character and ethics, like any form of fitness, requires regular exercising to keep in shape. 

Lack of regular testing – exercise – of character traits causes ethical atrophy.

With this foundation laid I want to proceed to the point of today’s gem.  To be honest, I too get to yawning when character traits are paraded before me.  I am human too.  So when I saw Character First raising Truthfulness as a point of discussion, I knew where it was going.  And then had to stifle the yawn in mid-air.

“Earning future trust by accurately reporting past facts”. 

Or current facts, for that matter.  This had my attention in a flash.  Wow.  Earning future trust by accurately reporting past facts. What more can I say?  Meditate that a little and evaluate your performance in the light thereof.

Want to add something?  Let’s hear you.