Leaders have to be able to deliver results. (That’s a given.) The most effective leaders spend their time focusing on the capabilities – the how – necessary to deliver improved performance. Perhaps the list of ten leadership capabilities below should be asked of candidates in the interview process.
1) Are you able to be enlightened…without telling everyone that you are?
2) Are you able to be the least intelligent person in the room?
3) Are you able to turn your cell phone off at the dinner table?
4) Are you able to celebrate the success of a peer who has achieved something before you?
5) Are you able to demonstrate respect for someone with whom you disagree?
6) Are you able to be wrong…so the team can win?
7) Are you able to let others have the last word?
8) Are you able to close your laptop…so your family can see your face?
9) Are you able to disagree with your boss…and still enthusiastically support her plan?
10) Are you able to expose your personal flaws…so the team can augment your strengths?
It’s worth asking your team: In which capabilities must we improve? And, given what we have to deliver to our customer, what capabilities should we add to this list?
