The Leadership Challenge Newsletter, September 2010

"Success in leadership, business, and life have been, are now, and will continue to be a function of how well people work and play together."
—-from The Leadership Challenge, 4th Edition by Jim Kouzes & Barry Posner


Welcome to The Leadership Challenge Newsletter!


		In this month’s issue, we are pleased to showcase the newest work by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. The Truth About Leadership, Jim and Barry’s first completely new book in nearly five years, reveals the fundamental truths that hold constant—regardless of context or circumstance. Watch a short video of Jim and Barry discussing their new book, read a sample chapter, share Your Leadership Truth story—and more—at www.truthaboutleadership.com.

Thoughts on the Model
In a work that celebrates the culmination of a 30-year writing partnership, Jim and Barry’s The Truth About Leadership explores the 10 time-tested leadership truths that have endured decades of practice and withstood the intense scrutiny of statistics.

Tips and Techniques
Help your leaders embrace technology and online social media. Two unique diagnostic tools highlighted by Sonoma Leadership Systems’ Jeni Nichols offer a way to assess your constituents’ social computing behaviors and your organization’s readiness to create an environment of openness and transparency.

Ask an Expert
Barry Posner clarifies the importance of establishing our own definition of success and urges leaders to focus on finding ways to engage more frequently in the LPI practices to improve effectiveness—rather than comparing themselves to others.

Rants and Raves
Word of Jim and Barry’s just-published book, The Truth About Leadership, is already reaching leaders searching for their own leadership truths, with an article in the August issue of the widely-read Leadership Excellence.

What We're Reading
I finally had a chance to finish reading The Truth About Leadership, the new book by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. I have had the privilege of working with these authors of The Leadership Challenge for many years and enthusiastically recommend this new offering. They offer their conclusions about the heart of the matter facts you need to know, based on their exhaustive research going back some twenty plus years.

I started my career in operations and tend to filter my reading through that lens. I was originally taken with Jim and Barry’s work because they chose to focus on ordinary people who had accomplished extraordinary things. This latest offering offers you ten things every leader has to know, and most importantly, do. Two points caught my attention above the rest. As we are hopefully emerging from a long and worrisome economic downturn, I believe there is an opportunity to do some needed repair work on credibility and trust.

Jim and Barry rightly assert that credibility is the foundation of leadership. I am perhaps a little more direct when I suggest that if you are not deemed credible, you cannot lead. Perhaps you can manage, but you will not attract the voluntary efforts of followers if you have compromised your credibility. Credibility is doing what you say you will do. Please note, that we like to be led by humans, and all humans fail, so we are not talking perfection here. We are talking a track record of consistent adherence to the values and mission you talk about. This may be a good time for a little soul searching. Credibility is being true to ones self. You need to be clear on the values that drive your behavior, then consciously monitor actions to make sure others are seeing them. If you stray, or there is even the slightest appearance that you have strayed, you need to address it and correct it. My sense, and observations, is that many espoused values may have been compromised by strong managerial actions during the downturn.

That leads to the second, and related, point. Trust is absolutely necessary in the workplace if a leadership culture is to be established. Jim and Barry cite research that says a majority of people trust a stranger more than they trust their boss. (Managing Trust in Troubled Times)

Trust is demonstrated in many ways. The area that I see in need of the most repair is the messages management sends about their trust of their subordinates’ competency and talent. I have seen many organizations centralize decision making, usually at the top in this downturn. I do see the need for oversight, but suggest if it is overdone you have sent a message that you don’t trust your people. In essence, it sends the message that people are our most important asset except in times we need them most.

I have had a lot of conversations lately with talented people that are considering leaving their organization simply because they feel their skills and talents aren’t being used. It communicates a lack of trust.

Jim and Barry again make a very important point. These leadership lessons are not reserved for people at the top. Indeed, the single most important leader to an employee is their direct supervisor. When people leave an organization, the number one reason is their immediate supervisor. Number two is that they feel they weren’t offered meaningful work. It seems no coincidence that those are intimately linked. Jim and Barry’s new book, The Truth About Leadership, is available at all major booksellers. I recommend you spend some time with it and think a bit about the state of truth in your leadership.

Posted by Michael Neiss on his blog at www.michaelneiss.com

Michael Neiss is a consultant, educator coach, and a Certified Master Facilitator of The Leadership Challenge. He can be reached at mike@michaelneiss.com.

For more reviews (and raves) from others who are reading The Truth About Leadership—including an Amazon.com reviewer who called it “A fresh look at what it means to lead from two of the biggest names in leadership” visit Amazon.com.

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