key traits of superleaders

7/27/2019 Key Traits of Superleaders

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KEY TRAITS OF SUPERLEADERS

A good leader usually can succeed in most organizations.The following are some specific traits that distinguish

outstanding leaders from the rest. These are based on theviews of John W. Gardner, former US Secretary of the

Department of Health, Education and Welfare.


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INTELLIGENCE AND JUDGMENT-IN ACTION

Judgment is the ability to combine hard data,questionable data, and intuitive guesses to arrive at aconclusion that events prove to be correct. Judgment-in-Action includes effective problem solving, the design ofstrategies, the setting of priority, and intuitive and rationaljudgments. Most important, perhaps, it includes tocapacity to appraise the potentialities of co-worker (andopponents).

PHYSICAL VITALITY AND STAMINA


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Warren G. Bennis, Reflections on Leadership

and Change Leaders are people who do theright thing; Managers are people who do thingsright


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TASK COMPETENCE

Top-level leaders cannot hope to have competence in

more than a few of the matters under their jurisdiction, but

they must have knowledge of the whole system over

which they preside, its mission, and the environment in

which it functions.

WILLINGNESS (EAGERNESS) TO ACCEPT

RESPONSIBILITY


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Warren BennisLeading Change: The leader asthe Chief Transformation Officer explains;

Management is getting people to do what needsto be done. Leadership is getting people towant to do what needs to be done.

Managers push; Leaders pull Managers command; Leaders communicate


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CAPACITY TO MOTIVATE

More than any other attribute, this is close to the heart

of the popular conception of leadership-the capacity tomove people to action, to communicate persuasively,

and to strengthen the confidence of followers.

UNDERSTANDING OF FOLLOWERS/CONSTITUENTS

AND THEIR NEEDS

SKILLS IN DEALING WITH PEOPLE

NEED TO ACHIEVE


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JOHN W. GARDNER stressed, The manager is moretightly linked to an organization than is the leader.Indeed, the leader may have no organization at all.

Abraham Zaleznik Where managers act to limitchoices, leaders work in the opposite direction, todevelop fresh approaches to longstanding problems andto open issues for new options..Leaders create

excitement in work.


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COURAGE, RESOLUTION and STEADFASTNESS

Clearly, a leader needs courage-not just bravery of the

moment but courage over time, not just willingness torisk but to risk again and again-to function well under

prolonged stress and to survive defeat and keep going.


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Richard Pascale

- Leadership is making happen what wouldnt

happen anyway[and will] always entail workingat the edge of what is acceptable.


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To take the risks that leaders take and to handle the

criticism and hostility that leaders must absorb requires

confidence.

CAPACITY TO WIN AND HOLD TRUST

CAPACITY TO MANAGE, DECIDE, AND SET

CONFIDENCE


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George Weathersby- Management is the allocation of scarce

resources against an organizations objective,the setting of priorities, the design of workand the achievement of results. Mostimportant, its about controlling. Leadership,on the other hand, focuses on the creation of acommon vision. It means motivating people to

contribute to the vision and encouraging themto align their self-interest with that og theorganization. It means persuading, notcommanding.


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ASCENDANCE, DOMINANCE, AND ASSERTIVENESS

The individuals who achieve leadership roles are apt to

have a fairly strong impulse to take charge. Their

assertiveness doesnt necessarily conform to thestereotype of the visibly forceful leader-some are quiet

and unspectacular-but whatever their outward style,

their inner impulse is to leave their thumbprints on

events.


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John Mariotti Great leaders get extra ordinary results from

ordinary people. Great managers simply get

well-planned and sometimes well-executedoutcomes, but eldom the huge successes thatarise from the passion and enthusiasticcommitment inspired by true leadership.

Leaders are the architects. Managers are thebuilders. Both are necessary, but witout thearchitect, there is nothing special to build.


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ADAPTABILITY AND FLEXIBILITY OF APPROACH

The attributes required of a leader depend on the kind of

leadership being exercised, the context, the nature of

followers, and so on.


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Leaders as Teachers (Depree and Tichy)

Leaders estalish the teachable point of view.

Leadership is about motivating others byteaching stories, Tichy contends thateffective leadership equates with effetiveteaching.


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END OF PRESENTATION

How judgmental are we after perceiving

some unusual situation?

key traits of superleaders

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