Monday 7 March 2011

Spring: a time for leadership to flower

The sun is beginning to feel warmer, flowers are beginning to bloom and my willow tree is laden with leaves about to burst... it's Spring!

So as Nature wakes up again, what kind of leadership do we need this coming year? Please complete the sentence:

A leader is someone who...

To help your sap to rise, below is a list of response to my question "What three words sum up the kind of leadership we need for 2010?" on Linked In (and there is more on my blog here too):
  • Murad Salman Mirza: persevering, invigorative, visionary 
  • Mark Orr: Honesty, integrity & definition 
  • Ger Bargerbos: integrity, empathy & visionary 
  • Dean Fygetakes: duty, honor, country 
  • Josh Chernin: imaginative, open-minded & decisive. 
  • Jørgen Brøndum: determination, will & hard work (believe that is one too many, but found it relevant enough to take the risk...) 
  • Trevor Durnford: Host Not Hero (This originates from a powerful article written by Mark McKergow of Solutions Focus Fame (www.sfwork.com) 
  • Adrian Snook: not Gordon Brown 
  • Michaela Kassar: honesty, integrity & innovation (of a longer list) 
  • Abdul Rahim Hasan: lead by example 
  • Phil Johnson: authenticity and service 
  • Samir Sharma: creative, connected & collaborative 
  • Rajib Lochan Pathak: passionate, humility & flexibility 
  • Raju Swamy: country, business & productivity 
  • Michel Langelier: strategic, committed & enabler 
  • Rohail Alam: basics, trust, & communities 
  • Souri: empathy, integrity & ability 
  • Wayne Patterson: responsible leaders needed 
  • Gaurav Bhargava: vision, integrity & commitment 
  • Sam Whitten: innovative, proactive & impressive 
  • Lou Storiale: integrity, accountability and performance 
  • Wallace Jackson: creativity, optimization & applicability 
  • Dave Maskin: listen, learn & open to change (OK, so #3 isn't one word)... 
  • Judy B. Margolis: decisive, diplomatic & wise 
  • Peter B. Giblett: collaboration, brand intervention & revenue opportunities 
  • Larry Ellis: humble, accountable & experienced 
  • Kevin Kuhl: adaptable, humble & aware 
  • Kenneth Strong: ethical, proficient & action 
(Thanks to all those people)

So again, here we are at the beginning of Spring 2011:


UPDATE

I posted this same question on LinkedIn - and received some interesting replies...


  • Nearby Express (SEO at NearbyExpress): A leader is someone who is responsible for both himself
  • Chris Mobbs (Director, Innovation for Growth): can inspire results.
  • Ravindran Ramiah (Senior IT Systems Manager at Tamweel PJSC): We need leaders who can prepare us to handle summers and winters in a better manner than we have handled so far
  • Gordon Gardener (Construction Professional): ....can get off their big fat behinds and lead!
  • Kenneth Larson (Retired Aerospace Contracts Manager): leads the troops by developing the resources, understands the kinks and bends in the road & manages creative tension (there is more on  LinkedIn)
  • Dave Maskin (Trade Show Booth Traffic Builder): ... is more concerned with everyone, rather than just one segment of the population...
  • Chris Barton (Management Executive): ...will complete the task/project on time, every time and won't care who gets the credit.
  • Cheryl Roshak (President at Cheryl Roshak Associates): A leader is someone who has the courage of his convictions and is not swayed by vested interest parties and has the innate intelligence to think clearly and see problems from all angles.
  • Tim Tymchyshyn (Wireless Networks): Who rules with an iron fist
  • Lisa Kohn (Chatsworth Consulting Group): who are thoughtful – who take the time to think through the necessary end results, who think about the leader they want to be, and the best ways to act and be to get there
  • Robyn McLeod (Leadership Development Consultant): We need leaders who have the courage to get out of the way and let the stars among them rise and shine
  • Cassandra Mack (PMP Director, Emerging Markets): Isn't afraid to ask people what they think and listen to what they have to say...and then act like they have a set of b@lls to get something done about it.
  • Patricia Wiltshire (Forensic ecologist, botanist, palynologist, mycologist at University of Aberdeen):  Has to be scrupulously honest, and have the strength to make changes that are for the common good bu which may be unpopular and generate a great deal of opposition. He should not worry about votes but get on with a job.
  • Guy Battaglia (Professional Information Recruiter): What is with all this 'leadership' bull? leaders this...and leader that... I don't understand... (more on LinkedIn)
  • Mark Herbert (Changing how people and organizations work together): understand and value relationships rather than transactions...
Thanks to all those people

A leader is someone who.....

2 comments:

  1. A leader is someone who....
    Works out where the herd needs to go and has the energy, insight and courage to show the way.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks David

    Given your interest in sustainable systems - you might be interested in this post on my other blog about self organising systems: http://smallcreativeideas.blogspot.com/2011/03/slugging-sustainable-response-to-higher.html

    ReplyDelete