Have the Rules for Competent Leaders Changed?

Summary: Have the rules for leadership coaching programs changed over time? While much changes, the core of leadership coaching programs is evergreen. That means recognizing and including individuals to work together for the best results.

Has social media and the fast pace of the world made authentic leadership qualities so different? 

I say NO. 

Then, I spent time researching what the leaders of old did to keep projects moving quickly.

Further, I looked at expectations of leadership teams and leadership development when there were few ways to calculate and maintain records.

Here is what I found.

Five qualities of competent leaders have not changed over the centuries. 

I was musing about this by looking at photos from when we took a group of senior executives on our “Leadership in Action” trip to Peru.  

When touring Machu Picchu, I was amazed at how the buildings fused without mortar. It was as if they had dropped from the sky in the middle of this gorgeous Andean mountain range.

I asked myself and anyone within hearing distance as I pondered the magnificence I observed.

I thought, “How’d they do that?” 

Then, on another trip to Egypt, I stood in awe at the base of the Great Pyramid of Giza and thought, “How’d they do that?” 

I imagined the individuals on the leadership team assigned to complete these tests.

I mused about the challenges and disputes that likely occurred.

Here is how ancient leadership executives did their jobs. 

Here are five qualities of competent leaders that have lasted over time and are still in place today. Please let me know if you agree. 

Quality #1: Effective communication.

The words and the images these words create are vital to achieving the goal. Whether by megaphone or cell phone, an essential key requirement is to let people know what to expect of them. 

Finding the exact ways of requesting and requiring what has to happen is a skill for leaders that transcends the centuries.

Quality #2: Preparation.

Being proactive is making things fall into place rather than merely responding after the fact. When you are prepared, you can, in a sense, see the future before it occurs. 

You study the weather, the adversaries, the details, and you are ready to intervene rather than be at the mercy of unforeseen events.

Quality #3: Listening.

Leaders pay attention to body language, gossip, and rumblings of subtle discontent. It’s not about arguing and making others feel foolish or unnecessary.

It’s about taking in all the information to make the most effective decisions rather than grandstand what you and only you think and want. 

Quality #4: Understanding the system.

Systems thinking is inclusive. The best leadership coaching services show how the whole and parts connect for success. Think of it this way: when someone sneezes in India, someone in Indiana may catch a cold.

The ability to facilitate sustainable change by identifying and strengthening positive connections and limiting the negative implications of a project is a high-level leadership skill.

Quality #5:  Balance macro and micro initiatives.  

Finding the sweet spot between too much or too little interaction keeps things moving smoothly. The need to exert excessive control can kill creative energy, and teams become like robots. However, on the other side, letting it be a free-for-all creates havoc and shoddy work results. 

The key is to offer suggestions. Next, make definite statements as required.

In short, it is also vital to permit input from others, a sign of adept leaders. 

While the modern workplace is now volatile, bewildering, and frustrating, silly that different in the human requirements?

Here’s to your success,

Sylvia 

P.S. My e-book, “5 Leadership Development Lessons,” continues the dialogue and is available here. Also, check out our leadership program.