What Constitutes a Leader?
On Friday, I attended an excellent seminar on leadership offered by Jenny Whitener, Chief Executive of Bridge Consulting International and alumna of Cap Gemini Ernst & Young. Among the many fascinating learnings she shared was a simple and elegant list of what “followers most admire in their leaders.” According to Kouzes and Posner in their book The Leadership Challenge:
- Honesty
- A Sense of Looking Forward
- Inspiration
- Competence
Does this constellation seem surprising to you? Are any of them “optional” in an effective leader? What other attributes and qualities are essential in the best leaders you’ve known?