Leadership Is a Relationship

Leadership Is a Relationship

In a study sponsored by the American Management

Association, they asked the open-ended question, “What

values (personal traits or characteristics) do you look for

in your superiors?”

More than 1,500 managers nationwide provided 225

values, characteristics and traits that they believed to be

crucial in the people leading them. A parallel study was

conducted with more than 1,000 federal government

executives. A panel of researchers and managers subsequently

analyzed the 200+ factors and reduced them to

20 categories. What were these crucial attributes? The

majority of people look for and admire leaders who are:

1. Honest (truthful, has integrity, has character, is

trusting).

2. Forward-looking (visionary, foresighted, concerned

about the future, has a sense of direction).

3. Inspiring (uplifting, enthusiastic, energetic,

humorous, cheerful, optimistic, positive about the

future).

4. Competent (capable, proficient, effective, gets job

done, professional).

The results of our studies over the last three decades

have been strikingly consistent not only over time, but

also around the world and across categories of age, gender,

ethnicity, functional discipline, organizational level

and the like. While the exact rank order (first through

fourth) might vary, these same four qualities remain at

the top of the list of what people everywhere want from

their leaders. Indeed, people are remarkably clear about

the qualities leaders must demonstrate if they want others

to voluntarily enlist in a common cause and to freely

commit to action.

Earning Credibility

Credibility is something that is earned over time. It

does not come automatically with the job or the title. It

begins early in your life and career, and it is something

that you develop day by day, year by year. Complete

trust is granted (or not) only after people have had the

chance to get to know more about you.

Without a firm foundation of personal credibility,

leaders can have no hope of enlisting others in a common

vision.

Obviously the loftier and more expansive a leader’s

dream, the deeper the foundation must be. The less stable

the ground underneath, the more solid the foundation

must be. Especially in uncertain times, leadership

credibility is essential in generating confidence among

constituents. Without credibility nothing can be built —

at least nothing that can survive the test of time. _

Credibility Makes a Difference

When people work with leaders they admire and

respect, they feel better about themselves. Credible leaders

raise self-esteem. They set people’s spirits free and

enable them to become more than they might have

thought possible. Credible leaders make people feel that

they, too, can make a difference in others’ lives.

Case studies document how admired leaders focus

their time and attention on others. They do not place

themselves at the center; they place others there. They

do not seek the attention of others; they give their

attention to others. They do not focus on satisfying their

own aims and desires; they look for ways to respond to

the needs and interests of their constituents. They are

not self-centered; they are constituent-centered.

This qualitative data is supported by quantitative

research. When people perceive their managers to have

high credibility, they are significantly more likely to:

• Be proud to tell others they are part of the organization.

• Feel a strong sense of team spirit.

• See their own personal values as consistent with

those of the organization.

• Feel attached and committed to the organization.

• Feel a sense of ownership for the organization.