The notion that only a few great people can propel others to greatness is just plain wrong, according to James M Kouzes and Barry Posner, who outline the practices that go along with being an exemplary leader
When we first began our leadership research in 1983, we wanted an answer to a simple question: what do people do when they are at their personal best as leaders? The timing and context were up to them; it just needed to be something they felt was a time when they were operating at their best as a leader.
One of the greatest myths about leadership is that some people have what it takes, while others don’t. A corollary myth is that if you don’t have it, then you can’t learn it. Neither could be further from the empirical truth.
The inescapable conclusions from analysing thousands of personal-best leadership experiences are that (a) everyone has a story to tell and (b) leadership is an identifiable set of skills and abilities available to anyone. The data clearly challenge the myths that you find leadership only at the highest levels of organisations and society, or that it’s reserved for only a handful of charismatic men and women.
The five practices of exemplary leadership
Another critical lesson we’ve learned is that the actions people take to make extraordinary things happen are much more similar than they are different, regardless of context. When making extraordinary things happen in organisations, leaders engage in what we call the five practices of exemplary leadership: they model the way, inspire a shared vision, challenge the process, enable others to act and encourage the heart.
The five practices framework is not an accident of a particular moment in history; it has passed the test of time. While the context of leadership has changed dramatically over the years, the content of leadership has mostly stayed the same. The fundamental behaviours and actions of leaders are as relevant today as they were when we began our study of exemplary leadership.
The first law of leadership is that people must believe in the messenger before they will believe the message. Therefore, understanding who you are is the first step to becoming an extraordinary leader. That said, understanding your team’s values is equally important. As a leader, it is your responsibility to honour and appreciate the diversity of your constituents and understand their values; to build together shared values that act as the foundation of genuine, long-lasting relationships. straightforward to “walk the walk” and be an example to your constituents of what standards and behaviors should be collectively promoted.
As with your values, you must articulate a vision of the future before enlisting others in pursuing a course of action. You must be passionate about your convictions and the direction you want to pursue. That said, just as with values, it is not only your vision that matters. Put your constituents front and centre of the dialogue of how the shared vision for the future is shaped. Doing so taps into people’s inner desire to make a difference and strengthens their intrinsic motivation.
Trust is essential to extraordinary achievements. To obtain the highest level of performance and collaboration from your team, you have to create a two-way stream of trust, where leaders have to trust their constituents if they want their team to trust them.
As their ‘coach’, you must openly express your belief that they can accomplish whatever they set their minds to and support them with the necessary resources, training, and development. Also, when delegating responsibility, let others know you’ve got their backs and provide the needed power and authority to make things happen.
In creating a psychologically safe culture where risk-taking and leadership are encouraged, you must maintain strong morale and enthusiasm for reaching the highest heights. Be generous in recognizing and celebrating your constituent’s contributions with personalized gestures that inspire behaviors aligned with shared values and vision. These should not be generic one-size-fits-all gestures, but rather experiences that speak to the hearts and minds of your constituents.
Leadership is not a fad that goes out of fashion next season – and neither do challenges. Times change, as do problems and technology. But one thing remains certain: throughout all future challenges, leadership will continue to endure. It is the work of leaders to inspire people to do things differently, to struggle against uncertain odds, and to persevere toward a misty image of a better future. We have today, at best, only faint clues of what the future may hold, but without proper leadership, the possibilities will neither be envisaged nor attained.
Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner are the authors of the award-winning and best-selling book, The leadership challenge: how to make extraordinary things happen in organizations, the seventh edition of which was recently published by Wiley. Kouzes is a senior fellow at the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University and formerly the dean’s executive fellow of leadership, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University. Posner currently chairs the Management and Entrepreneurship Department at Santa Clara University and holds the Michael Accolti SJ chair in leadership
