Peter F. Drucker, known as the father of modern management, left a lasting influence on how I developed as a leader. In Putting Our Differences to Work, I share how I always loved his straight way of talking. I saw him once look out at an audience of many hundreds of people, all clinging to each word he spoke. He gave us a message I've never forgotton --- 8 simple words to last a lifetime:
"Make your contribution. Everything else is a diversion."
-- Peter F. Drucker
He also was very clear on the Four Competencies that he thought every leader needed:
1. The willingness, ability and self-discipline to LISTEN . "Listening is not a skill; it is a discipline. Anybody can do it. All you have to do is to keep your mouth shut."
2. The willingness to COMMUNICATE, to make yourself understood.
3. RE-ENGINEERING MISTAKES. Being able to say, "This doesn't work as well as it should. Let's take it back and re-engineer it."
4. The willingness to realize HOW UNIMPORTANT YOU ARE compared to the task. "Leaders subordinate themselves to the task."
He reminded us about how great leaders see their role, "When effective leaders have the capacity to maintain their personality and individuality, even though they are totally dedicated, the task will go on after them. ...Otherwise they do things for personal aggrandizement, in the belief that this furthers the cause. They become self-centered and vain."
These four competencies are timeless. Using them as your "yardstick" for self-assessment and ongoing renewal is a great idea. Ask yourself often --- perhaps at the end of each week --- How did I do this week LISTENING, COMMUNICATING, RE-ENGINEERING MISTAKES and SUBORDINATING my ego to the task at hand.
(Source: Managing the Non-Profit Organization)
I think today our organizations and the world are asking us to strengthen these competencies with still a new level of thinking and questioning, as well as developing a new set of distinctive qualities that will help us effectively work across the differences that define our distributed and global workplaces, marketplaces and world. In my book, Putting Our Differences to Work, I define five qualities that challenge new thinking and action. Here is a summary:
- Makes diversity an organizational priority. This quality reaches beyond “putting our differences aside,” “see what we have in common” --- it values these truths, plus values of the differences too.
- Gets to know people and their differences.
This quality expands our thinking to see the many dimensions of diversity in a new light; developing a curiosity and knowledge of others. - Enables rich communication. This quality defies the notion of unilateral streams of thought; it opens the way to go way beyond two-way communication of the past with openness.
- Holds personal responsibility as a core value. This quality challenges us to change the mindset that travels with us; inspiring others to do the same by our example.
- Establishes mutualism as the final arbiter. This quality adds a new guide for decisions, problem-solving, products, services and profit-making --- everyone benefits; no one is harmed.
How do your competencies and qualities stack up?
What skills and attributes have been more beneficial to you as a leader?
Debbe
Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
new book!
Putting Our Differences to Work
The Fastest Way to Innovation, Leadership and High Performance
by Debbe Kennedy ▪ Berrett-Koehler ▪ Spring 2008 – Hardcover
PRE-ORDER a copy at AMAZON.COM
Foreword by Joel A. Barker, futurist, filmmaker and author
Paradigms: The Business of Discovering the Future