Leadership Jazz
By: Max DePree

Max DePree, who at the time of writing this book was chairman of the board of Directors for Herman Miller, Inc., describes leadership as a serious meddling in the lives of others from a position of servanthood.

What are the attributes of a good leader? DePree offers the following list as a place to start:

Integrity-the linchpin of leadership.

Vulnerability-the opposite of self-expression. Vulnerable leaders allow the people who follow them to do their best. There is no such thing as safe vulnerability.

Discernment-lies somewhere between wisdom and judgment.

Awareness of the human spirit-people skills always precede professional skills.

Courage in relationships-followers expect leaders to face up to tough decisions.

Sense of humor-essential to living with ambiguity. The best humor is sometimes deadly serious.

Intellectual energy and curiosity-when you are fortunate enough to lead a group of people, opportunities constantly arise to learn from those people.

Respect for the future, regard for present, understanding of the past-the future requires humility to face what we can't control; the present requires attention to all the people to whom we're accountable; the past gives us the opportunity to build on the work of our elders.

Predictability-leaders are not free to follow a whim. Tending a vision is as difficult as conceiving one.

Breadth-a vision of what an organization can become has room for contributions from all quarters.

Comfort with ambiguity-healthy organizations exhibit a degree of chaos.

Presence-leaders stop to ask and answer questions, to be patient, to listen to problems, to follow up a lead, to seek the nuance.

Leaders stand alone, take the heat, bear the pain, tell the truth

Copyright ©2002 by Wade Hodges, All Rights Reserved