The Leaders Checklist

Friday's DD's for the near term future will be dedicated to the topic of leadership based on Michael Useem's recently published book, The Leaders Checklist.  

The Leaders Checklist is composed of 15 core principles applicable to most leaders, in most endeavors, in most circumstances.  A checklist is only as good as its underlying foundation, and the foundation is only as solid as the materials and engineering that go into it.

From development work with hundreds of managers and executives in leadership programs in Asia, Europe, North American and South America, from research interviews with many managers in the United States and abroad, and from witnessing managers  facing a range of critical moments, the Leaders Checklist points to a core of 15 mission-critical leadership principles that vary surprisingly little between companies or countries.

These principles constitute the vital foundation of universally applicable Leaders Checklist.

1. Articulate a Vision.  Formulate a clear and persuasive vision and communicate it to all members of the enterprise.
2. Think and Act Strategically.  Set forth a pragmatic strategy for achieving that vision both short and long-term, and ensure that it is widely understood; consider all the players, and anticipate reactions and resistance before they are manifest.
3. Honor the Room.  Frequently express your confidence and support for those who work with and for you.
4. Take Charge. Embrace a bias for action, or taking responsibility even if it is not formally delegated, particularly if you are well positioned to make a difference.
5. Act Decisively.  Make good and timely decision and ensure that they are executed.
6. Communicate Persuasively.  Communicate in ways that people will not forget; simplicity and clarity of expression help.
7. Motivate the Troops.  Appreciate the distinctive intentions that people bring, and then build on those diverse motives to draw the best from each.  
8. Embrace the Front Lines. Delegate authority except for strategic decisions, and stay close to those most directly engaged with the work of the enterprise. 
9. Build Leadership in Others.  Develop leadership throughout the organization.
10. Manage Relations.  Build enduring personal ties with those who look to you, and work to harness the feelings and passions of the workplace.
11. Identify Personal Implication.  Help everybody appreciate the impact that the vision and strategy are likely to have on their own work and future with the firm.
12. Convey Your Character.  Through gesture, commentary, and accounts, ensure that others appreciate that you are a person of integrity. 
13. Dampen Over-Optimism.  Counter the hubris of success, focus attention on latent threats and unresolved problems, and protect against the tendency for managers to engage in unwarranted risk.
14. Build a Diverse Top Team.  Leaders need to take final responsibility, but leadership is also a team sport best played with an able roster of those collectively capable of resolving all the key challenges. 
15. Place Common Interest First.  In setting strategy, communicate vision, and reaching decisions, common purpose comes first, personal self-interest last.

ACTION POINT:  Print the list and refer to it often.