• Be more purpose centered – in every situation I feel that maybe I stay towards my comfort zone. Trying to remember the overall purpose and focus on the best results for that purpose should be my intention. If it moves me from my comfort zone, so be it. Probably needed to move anyways.
• Exercise more self control – stop the knee jerk reactions to what you maybe hearing. When I am coaching hockey players it is easy for them to get caught up in the moment – and I always remind them to take a step back, breathe and then pick the right course of action. Maybe I have forgotten that at work! Need to dust that one off and use it a bit more.
• Focus more on others - this one is someone different than you may think. I do focus on others – in fact, I defend my team to the bitter end. Of course, if we are making a mistake – then I will take that in private to the folks. I really need to set the stage on the others to be everyone. Just need to widen that a bit.
• Being more open – I was going to write this one as I really am very transparent in words and actions. Maybe too transparent. I need to be more open but without the knee jerk reaction. Staying focused on open and thinking – rather than outwardly expressing opinions and feelings. I will never hide what I truly believe, but maybe after 10 seconds – I will project what I should project.

I am not saying that I am going to swing to the other side – that is not my intention in focusing on the above. In fact, I think I do most of them pretty good, depending on the situation and audience. We all have times, where you have certain folks that you just can not see eye to eye on anything. We have situations that change at a whim and those old expectations are no longer valid. How you react to those situations – will dictate how you work with those folks and how they work with you. You have to be willing to do your part well past the halfway point.

The findings from this research project identified the following seven leadership skills as most critical for success (they listed 20), now and in the future:

1. Leading people: directing and motivating people.
2. Strategic planning: translating vision into realistic business strategies, including long-term objectives.
3. Managing change: using effective strategies to facilitate organizational change.
4. Inspiring commitment: recognizing and rewarding employees’ achievements.
5. Resourcefulness: working effectively with top management.
6. Doing whatever it takes: persevering under adverse conditions.
7. Being a quick learner: quickly learning new technical or business knowledge.

Reading on the study took a twist, talking about over-investment of certain strengths. Over-investment is that list of strengths that the organizations responding thought they had a strong bench strength.

• building and mending relationships,
• compassion and sensitivity,
• cultural adaptability,
• respecting individual differences,
• composure,
• and self-awareness.

“In organizations where this is the case, sufficient skill-level has been established in these areas and further large-scale efforts to boost these areas are unnecessary.” I was a little shocked by – not considered important and is over-invested.. Look at the list again, I was taken back because I think most people get themselves into trouble for not doing these. Another part that comes up – these look like they have some direct and at least an indirect effect on the seven hot ones.

Respecting individual differences and lack of self-awareness are two popular ingridents of failure. The fact that we think we have these skills sufficiently mastered to render them unimportant suggests that we have blind spots that have not been fully explored.

Within the study, “The ‘important’ list includes ‘leading people’ and ‘inspiring commitment’ – were singled out from respondents that they are not very good at. Not sure about you, but for me; if you spent some time building and maintaining relationships – that could help tremendously.

If leadership is about anything, it is about relationships. I am so glad I did not take the survey.. Maybe it is the questions, maybe it is the analysis or maybe it is really not understanding leadership… I do agree that at times some competencies are more important, but when the core of some need others – well, they are both important. Especially when you look at the failures (or even the successes).