“As you work on yourself to develop the human traits that will serve the new strategic order, you will be required to unlearn many of the traits you thought came with the territory of leader.” Ken Blanchard
The question should be asked, “Are your subordinates there to serve you, or are you there to serve them and your organization?” Are you developing your own self to build the confidence required to inspire others? Moreover, leaders have to monitor themselves to keep from slipping into arrogance, either as a cover for insecurity or as a means for getting things done. Ken Blanchard, author of such books as The One Minute Manager and Who Moved My Cheese? is probably the most engaging and penetrating thinker on leadership values, states with some authority, “As a managerial leader, you will go further when you concentrate on serving others rather than on serving yourself.” The same sentiment is echoed in The Leadership Pipeline, “Managers must cease thinking only about themselves and start thinking about others.”
It is essential to gain an appreciation of the underlying values structure of the individual. If one’s value system has not been fully developed, one may not be capable of learning leadership. Strong managerial leadership is connected with the values of openness, integrity, trustworthiness, and respect for others. Without these, one can never be an effective leader. Furthermore, effective leaders put the organization’s needs and their followers above their own.
The ability to take a realistic self-assessment enables leaders to reflect on whose needs come first.
