David McCullough on Leadership
Hello Class.
For your first opportunity to interact virtually, please listen to David McCullough's Poadcast, found on CIO Magazine's website.
This is the link to the Podcast and the website.
You will find a pretty extensive set of postings on blogs on the site of you care to read on.
Consider the audience (CIO's)
Your job is to post something regarding the podcast and your position on his message on leadership.
Gene A. Wright
posted by Gene A. Wright @ 2:48 PM
4 Comments:
I listened to the post this morning and have two reactions:
First, I was interested in his take on the importance of a leader as an actor. I understand the need to appear unflappable in challenging situations, but I hadn't considered the importance that people place on their outward appearance and their need to appear cheerful and upbeat. The leaders I've come in contact with must have been really good actors, because I assumed that a majority of their attitude was inherent to who they were-- that they weren't acting.
My second response to his comments is that, while good, he paints a picture of necessary qualities of leadership that are a tall order for an individual to fully attain:
According to McCullough, a leader must be:
- honest
- able to learn from mistakes
- a good actor
- perceived as lucky
- relentless
- willing to take risk
- energetic
- intelligent
- empathetic
- punctual
- hard working
- filled with integrity
- having a strong backbone
Given that profile, I have worked for more managers than leaders in my career!
Something that struck me were his comments about how the basic virtues of leadership are not taught today. He listed honesty, puncuality, hard work, giving attention to leaders. Instead, in pop culture, we are encouraged to celebrate the anti-hero and in learning institutions to focus on self. I beleve I see plenty of examples of this in my daily interactions with younger people in the general public. (unless I'm just getting to be crotchety!).
To further comment on the "leader as an actor" thread: I took note of the disussion about handling failure. We are all bound to fail but a good leader is not "defeated by defeat." And a good leader certainly does not appear defeated to others. A good leader is aware of how they are projecting themselves and at the very least give the appearance of one that is in charge and in control.
When listening to this I question the comments about the military does well at teaching leadership and that being a good listener is one of the necessary skill of a leader. This seem a little contradictory to me. I see the military as a dictator type of leadership. Where is the listening happening if you are always telling someone what to do?
They did have some valuable comments that a leader should also be judged by what they don't do. We don't really talk about the things we don't do or should have done but didn’t. Maybe its the thinking what they don't know won't hurt them...
I do agree that a leader has to be willing to take risk and be able to handle their failures. We learn from our failures. These are really the opportunities to grow ones leadership
RB
I think McCullough has a lot of great points on leadership. It was interesting to hear that Washington was very concerned with his image as a leader and that he spent a lot of time making sure the image went across his whole life. Being a leader brings a certain sense of image that needs to be fulfilled which appears to be true even today in many cases.
It was also interesting to hear that Washington knew he wasn't the smartest person about the subject of warfare but he knew he was the best person that they had which created a sense of confidence required for the position. He also knew that congress was confident that he was the right man for the job.
McCullough's four characteristics of a leader seemed very realistic.
- Courage - to a conviction
- Honesty - which creates sincerity
- Energy
- Intelligence
Overall I was very impressed with the discussion. Rarely in our busy schedules do we get to think back to great leaders like Washington, Roosevelt, Adams and others to try and pick apart what made them great and what could we get out of what they did to help our own positions.
Post a Comment
<< Home