On Leadership An Executive Book Summary Some of the authors’ points: • Emotional Intelligence is a key component of becoming a better leader • Good leaders motivate people in a variety of different ways. • Being an authentic leader is very important. People respond to sincerity. Individual Highlights: Author Aims & Summary 1 Emotional Intelligence 2 Managing vs Leading 3 Qualities of Leaders 3 Myths & Crucibles 4 Levels of Leadership 5 Types of Leaders 6 Practical Application 7 Key Points & Critical Eval. 8 Professor Keith Walker Compiled by Ashley Haugen The many authors of this book have compiled a type of “How- To” book for people trying to become leaders. They include steps to take in order to do so, ways to increase your leadership capabilities, as well as what is needed to be or become a great leader. The authors discuss different qualities that leaders should have, and ones that are necessary and without them, leading anyone On Leadership. (2011). Ancona et al. Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation. USA. Summary of Thoughts and Ideas There are many thoughts and ideas about leadership in this great compilation. One of these in particular is the idea that emotional intelligence plays a key role in the success or failure of a leader. This means the skills necessary for leaders to “maximize their own and their followers’ performance.” (p.3) Another thought is that there are different ways to motivate people and that there is a certain “culture of leadership” that a person must have in order to be a motivational leader. The authors discuss the fundamental tasks that leading entails as well as the unusual qualities that people would be almost impossible. The book also states some myths about leadership and exposes the truths and lies about these common misconceptions. The authors instill their knowledge about the hardships of being a leader and how to get through them without falling below leadership status. The last few things the authors discuss are the different concept of leaders as well as the different types of leaders. They also explain the importance of using life experience to your advantage as a leader. The aim of the book is to inspire people to become leaders as well as motivate people to be better leaders. The authors take the stance that not everyone can be a great leader, but everyone can learn to act like one. overlook but that are very important for effective leadership. One of the more important points in the book is that leadership is not about results. It is about inspiring people. The myths in the book are also important ones to note. An example of one is that “Everyone can be a leader.” According to the authors of the book, this is not true. Generally, the book discusses the necessary qualities, traits, ideas, attitudes, abilities, and types of leaders. Everything in this book is important to note when considering a leadership position or when re-evaluating a current one. There is no bad advice in this book. The authors finish the book by delivering a big idea: That “No one can be authentic by trying to imitate someone else.” (p.163) They state that there has never been a clear definition or “cookie cutter” way of defining a leader and that this is a good thing because then everyone would simply imitate these qualities. We need to adopt the qualities that we feel are significant to us, and ensure that we do not simply follow others in our pursuit to lead.
Transcript
On Leadership An Executive Book Summary
Some of the authors’ points: • Emotional
Intelligence is a key component of becoming a better leader
• Good leaders
motivate people in a variety of different ways.
• Being an
authentic leader is very important. People respond to sincerity.
Individual Highlights:
Author Aims & Summary 1
Emotional Intelligence 2
Managing vs Leading 3
Qualities of Leaders 3
Myths & Crucibles 4
Levels of Leadership 5
Types of Leaders 6
Practical Application 7
Key Points & Critical Eval. 8
Professor Keith Walker Compiled by Ashley Haugen
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The many authors of this book have compiled a type of “How-To” book for people trying to become leaders. They include steps to take in order to do so, ways to increase your leadership capabilities, as well as what is needed to be or become a great leader.
The authors discuss different qualities that leaders should have, and ones that are necessary and without them, leading anyone
On Leadership. (2011). Ancona et al. Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation. USA.
Summary of Thoughts and Ideas
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There are many thoughts and ideas about leadership in this great compilation. One of these in particular is the idea that emotional intelligence plays a key role in the success or failure of a leader. This means the skills necessary for leaders to “maximize their own and their followers’ performance.” (p.3)
Another thought is that there are different ways to motivate people and that there is a certain “culture of leadership” that a person must have in order to be a motivational leader.
The authors discuss the fundamental tasks that leading entails as well as the unusual qualities that people
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would be almost impossible. The book also states some myths about leadership and exposes the truths and lies about these common misconceptions. The authors instill their knowledge about the hardships of being a leader and how to get through them without falling below leadership status. The last few things the authors discuss
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are the different concept of leaders as well as the different types of leaders. They also explain the importance of using life experience to your advantage as a leader. The aim of the book is to inspire people to become leaders as well as motivate people to be better leaders. The authors take the stance that not everyone can be a great leader, but everyone can learn to act like one.
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overlook but that are very important for effective leadership.
One of the more important points in the book is that leadership is not about results. It is about inspiring people.
The myths in the book are also important ones to note. An example of one is that “Everyone can be a leader.” According to the authors of the book, this is not true.
Generally, the book discusses the necessary qualities, traits, ideas, attitudes, abilities, and types of leaders. Everything in this book is important to note when considering a leadership position or when
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re-evaluating a current one. There is no bad advice in this book.
The authors finish the book by delivering a big idea: That “No one can be authentic by trying to imitate someone else.” (p.163) They state that there has never been a clear definition or “cookie cutter” way of defining a leader and that this is a good thing because then everyone would simply imitate these qualities. We need to adopt the qualities that we feel are significant to us, and ensure that we do not simply follow others in our pursuit to lead.
EI Component Definition Characteristics Example Self Awareness
Knowing one’s emotions, strengths, weaknesses, drives, values, and goals – and their impact on others
- Self confidence - Realistic self-
assessment - Self-deprecating
sense of humor - Thirst for
constructive criticism
Effective time management skills – Teachers can be very busy, so knowing and understanding this effectively is an important part of being self-aware.
Self Regulation
Controlling or redirecting disruptive emotions and impulses.
- Trustworthiness - Integrity - Comfort with
ambiguiety and change
When lessons go awry and students are not paying attention or following rules, the teacher does not get extremely angry. Consider reasons for failure and explain the consequences and explore solutions.
Motivation
Being driven to achieve for the sake of achievement.
- Passion for the work itself and of new challenges
- Unflagging energy to improve
- Optimism in the face of failure
After a lesson fails year after year, the teacher realizes it may not be the student, but te lesson itself and changes her lesson to fitthe students’ needs.
Empathy
Considering others’ feelings, especially when making decisions.
- Expertise in attracting and retaining talent
- Ability to develop others
- Sensitivity to cross-cultural differences
A teacher notices a student has been being bullied at school for being a “nerd.” As a result of this, the student’s grades have gone down. The teacher senses it is on purpose and seeks help for the student instead of getting angry.
Social Skill
Managing relationships to move people in desired directions.
- Effectiveness in leading change
- Persuasiveness - Extensive
networking - Expertise in
leading and building teams
A teacher finds that he is lacking in materials and asks around to other teachers. He is rewarded with numerous new ideas and materials
On Leadership
“The sooner leaders stop trying to be all things to all people, the better off their organizations will be.” (p. 179)
Emotional Intelligence is defined in the book as “a group of five skills that enable the best leaders to maximize their own and their followers’ performance.” (p.3) Here is a list of the skills and some ways to apply them to life situations.
Emotional Intelligence – Priority Number One
Page 2 of 8
On Leadership Page 3 of 8
According to the authors, there is a difference between managing and leading. Managing is considered coping with complexity. Leading is considered coping with change. They differentiate between the two because there are many people who can be managers and cope with complex thoughts and ideas, but not many who can lead and cope with change. Good managers and leaders can motivate people in many different ways. - They can articulate their vision. - They can involve people in their decisions. - They can support the efforts of their teams. - They can recognize and reward successes.
Management and Leadership
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There are four main qualities that most people do not expect from leaders.
1. They selectively show their weaknesses.
2. They rely heavily on intuition.
3. They manage employees with tough empathy.
4. They reveal their differences.
Showing selective weaknesses is a form of creating relationships with co-workers. Some
Unexpected Qualities of Leaders
Differences are good. “Leadership, after all, is not a popularity contest.” (p.93)
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weaknesses can even be deemed as strengths such as being a workaholic.
Leaders should show weaknesses so that in the end, if a project fails, people do not look solely to the leader but to the others as well, understanding that a leader is human as well.
Leaders should trust their instincts because they have managed to get to this particular point based on their knowledge and hard work so this should be no exception. Leaders tend to understand what can be done and what should be done and follow their
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instincts down the correct path.
Tough empathy is something all leaders need. It is the ability to understand people’s opinions and take them into consideration, but ensure that the right decision is made in the end.
Differences are good because not everyone likes or dislikes the same types of people. Showing that you are different makes you stand out while enforcing that you are a human being with different thoughts and opinions.
“Leaders have to see a context for change or create one.” (p60)
On Leadership Page 4 of 8
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There are some myths about leadership that are rather obviously untrue such as: “Everyone can be a leader” and then there are some that are a bit tougher to think through. Here are a few of the most common leadership myths and their answers. 1. Everyone can be a leader. This one is obviously not true. There are certain
Myths of Leadership – Debunked!
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A crucible is a severe test or trial that is traumatic and unplanned. These are experiences that shape leaders and can be negative or positive but are always deeply challenging and thought provoking.
There can be many types of crucibles such as something as severe as prejudice, racism, or illness but can be as simple, yet sometimes equally as challenging, as having a
The Crucibles and Hardships of Leaders
Can female leaders be true to themselves?
“Gender differences can be used to either
positive or negative effect.” (p.91)
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qualities and characteristics that a leader needs and some them you cannot learn. 2. Leaders deliver business results. This one is not always true. Sometimes business results are what they leader is trying to deliver, but other times the results are not the end goal. 3. People who get to the top are leaders.
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Not necessarily true. Some people are quiet leaders and are not able to make it to the top but are still leading in some way. 4. Leaders are great coaches. This one is surprisingly not true. The answer is that very rarely do leaders make good coaches because they focus more on exciting through their vision than actually coaching.
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really tough boss. Crucibles always
end up causing the leader in question to re-think their values, morals, and beliefs and almost always result in the leader changing their ways of thinking and affecting their final course of action.
On the other hand, crucibles can also be positive. Having a demanding mentor can be tough, but is usually a more positive example of a crucible. They end up
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helping and nourishing the leader’s thirst for knowledge and understanding, albeit in a very challenging and life-changing way.
A crucible is only damaging to a leader if they let it be. They can either be compared to a bird crashing into a window and never recovering, or a phoenix rising from the ashes, ready for a new set of challenges.
“The skills required to conquer adversity and emerge stronger and more committed than ever are the same ones that make for extraordinary leaders.” (p97)
Do you think everyone has the chance to become a leader? Why or why not?
Level 5 – Executive – Builds enduring greatness through a paradoxical combination of personal humilty plus professional will.
Level 4 – Effective Leader – Catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear and compelling vision; stimulates the group to high performance standards.
Level 3 – Competent Manager – Organizes people and resources toward the effective and efficient pursuit of predetermined objectives.
Level 2 – Contributing Team Member – Contributes to the achievement of group objectives; works effectively with others in a group setting.
Level 1 – Highly Capable Individual – Makes productive contributions through talent, knowledge, skills, and good work habits.
On Leadership Page 5 of 8
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According to the authors there are five levels of leadership. These levels are identified by characteristics shown through studies conducted on over 1000 companies. These were the results.
**Levels of Leadership**
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Level five leadership is the highest level of leadership one can attain. It is the perfect blend of “extreme personal humility with intense professional will.” (p.117)
It is a culture of discipline that is required for turning good companies into great companies.
The question that has been asked by so many people is:
Inside Story Headline
“Level five leaders are a
study in duality: modest and
willful, shy and fearless.” (p.123)
“The successful organizations all had level 5 leaders at the
time of transition.” (p.123)
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“Can you develop level five leadership?”
The answer is a very circumstantial ‘yes.’ Yes because it is possible, but only if you have the “seed” within you. This is to say that usually, level four leaders tend to have larger egos than level five leaders. This means that level four leaders cannot see the future gains. They see only personal
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gains. Crucibles,
however, can be a catalyst for a level four leader to acquire the “seed” and start to develop less of an ego and change from a level four to a level five leader.
Level five leaders are intolerant of mediocrity and are determined and rely on inspired standards to motivate others.
Level Five Leadership
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Understanding What Type of Leader You Are
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Opportunist – focuses on personal wins rather than team wins Diplomat – avoids conflict at all odds Expert – rules by logic and expertise Achiever – meets strategic goals Individualist – operates in unconventional ways Strategist – focuses on organizational and personal change Alchemist – focuses on social transformations
“Leaders who make an effort to understand their own action-logic can improve their ability to lead.” (p.137)
“Different situations call for different types of leadership.” (p.1)
What type are you?
Page 7 of 8 On Leadership
Practical Application
To apply the theories and ideas of this book to my life would not only be smart, but also easy. Now that I know what I have to do to become a good leader when it comes to business, it should be a simple switch to become a good leader for students in a classroom.
All there is to do is to change the target audience and adapt the information so that it applies to teaching. For example: crucibles are common in everyone’s life. If something happens that affects someone deeply, and they do not change because of it, they are not a true leader.
If a lesson fails enough times and the students hate doing it, and the teacher does not change it because he or she is stubborn and believes his or her way to be the right way, they should not be in that position to begin with.
All of the ideas will be the same when converting to applicable theory, and only the audience changes. Leaders/teachers essentially do the same thing. Every day they come to work and have to inspire people to want to come back every day and to work for a cause.
If teachers cannot apply the knowledge learned from this book to their classroom, such as the ‘level five’ leadership skills, then their classroom will not go from good to great. For some teachers that is fine, but for others, mediocrity is not acceptable.
Teachers are leaders, and leaders are teachers. We need to view leadership as learning and teaching as leading. If we do this, our students will not only enjoy learning, but do well and progress in their learning, and is there really more we can ask than that?
“Don’t assume that the way things have always been done is the best way to do them.” (p. 193)
Ask yourself: What type of support team do you have? How can they make you a more authentic leader?
What motivates you intrinsically and extrinsically? These may help you find your authenticity as a leader.
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Page 8 of 8 On Leadership
Key Concepts
Ø Emotional Intelligence is important Ø Say ‘We’ not ‘I’ Ø Crucibles inspire good leaders to become great leaders Ø Observations guide actions Ø Unexpected qualities are the most important ones to show Ø Differences are good when it comes to leadership Ø Level five leaders are required to turn good companies to
great ones Ø Understand what type of leader you are and strive to be
always bettering yourself. Ø Be an authentic leader Ø Use real-life experience to influence leadership skills Ø True leaders can and do not accept mediocrity
In order to become a true leader, we need to reflect on our personalities and understand the type of person we are before we can even consider becoming a leader. It takes time, effort, strength and courage to be or become a leader and not everyone is cut out to do it. It is important that people know what the role of leaders is and that they do not strive to lead simply to fulfil their own personal requirements. Leading should be based on furthering the team or company and not on how it will benefit the individual leading. Leaders need to be empathetic but to a point. If a leader is seen as too empathetic, people will walk all over them. They need to be strong in their opinions but also consider the feelings of others. This will ensure that the right decision is always made. The level of leader can determine the success or failure of the company. A level 4 leader may get you to the top, but a level 5 leader will keep you there even after they have left the company. This book captures the thoughts and ideas that many already know, but have now compiled them into a short book and explained why these ideas ring true, or untrue. This book helps to emphasize which aspects of leadership are important and which are absolutely necessary. It is essential to understand the difference when taking on a role of leadership because it could ultimately cost you the success or failure of your company. I think if the steps in this book were to be followed, although there is no sure fire way of “creating” a leader, one could be on their way to becoming one.
Critical Evaluation
“A leader has to have the emotional capacity to tolerate uncertainty, frustration, and pain.” (p.66)
