The Three Fundamentals of Effective Leadership

In this article, the author talks about three “critically important skills” that all great leaders have shown regardless of their “personality/leadership style.” He writes that all effective leaders: 1. Have been driven by an inspiring vision of success. 2. Have excelled at communication. 3. Have exercised superior judgment. The author first mentions that a compelling vision must inspire, clarify, and focus the work of individuals--and preferably entire organizations--for a lengthy span of time. He breaks it down by saying to pick something that matters and that excites you and the people you work with. He then illustrates the importance of sharing your strategies with your staff and to communicate effectively with them—which involves listening and giving time for questions as opposed to simply sending out a memo or giving a speech (without leaving time for questions). This approach seems to really value those that are working with you as you treat them as equals and valuable members of the team. The third element of successful leadership the author mentions involves judgment. As noted by the author, “In the end, your judgment calls, which are rooted in your character, become your legacy. Without the right values, judgment can easily be trumped by perverse incentives that encourage poor ethical choices.” I really appreciated how this article did not focus on a particular “leadership style/theory” but rather focused on some of the “critically important skills.” And no matter what “personality/leadership style” you are, I believe that we will all benefit if we master the skills mentioned above.