Leadership Principles - Part 1

Self-Awareness, Technical Mastery, and Team Welfare

Human achievement is often showcased through physical or artistic creations–from the sculptor turning marble into masterpieces, to the novelist crafting compelling narratives. Yet, there's another form of creation that, while intangible, is equally profound: leadership.

Leadership is about building high-performing teams, a skill that intertwines understanding people, inspiring action, and making difficult decisions. Like any craft, mastering leadership demands persistence and learning.

Consider the similarities between leadership and other crafts. First, both require dedicated practice. An artist doesn’t perfect their craft overnight, nor does a leader. It’s a journey marked by challenges, learning, and growth. Similarly, mentorship plays a critical role. Just as an apprentice learns from a more senior artist, a budding leader benefits immensely from the wisdom of experienced mentors. Lastly, leadership, like art, blends theory and practice. While theory provides a foundation, true expertise comes through real-world application, learning from each interaction, success, and failure. 

Before you can practice art or leadership well, you need to understand the theory or principles that others have developed about the craft. Just as a painter should understand the principles of color theory and composition, a leader must grasp the principles of guiding and inspiring others. These principles are not merely guidelines but are essential elements that mold an effective leader.

In this article, we explore leadership principles that most leaders are taught in the military and that resonate across various contexts. Military leadership, often misconceived as purely directive or command and control, is actually much more about motivation, respect, and team cohesion. These principles aren't just for the battlefield but are applicable to any leadership scenario. And, of course, leadership isn't reserved for those with specific titles; it's a universal skill. Whether leading a project, a team, or influencing peers, the principles of effective leadership apply broadly, impacting everyone involved.

The six principles that we are going to cover are:

• Know Yourself and Seek Self-Improvement

The journey to effective leadership starts with self-awareness. Understanding your own traits and attributes is essential before you can lead others effectively. Traits, often seen as inherent, like being shy or gregarious, influence how we generally react to situations. Attributes, however, are situation-specific qualities like patience or modesty. Understanding these can help tailor your leadership approach.

• Technical Proficiency

Leadership also demands technical proficiency, encompassing not just specific skills but a broad understanding of various aspects of a job. For instance, a leader in tech doesn’t need to code expertly but should understand the technical challenges their team faces. This proficiency helps in mentoring others, setting realistic goals, and leading by example.

• Know Your People and Look Out for Their Welfare

A key aspect of leadership is deeply understanding your team members' backgrounds, strengths, weaknesses, and personal situations. This knowledge allows you to tailor your approach, ensuring team members are engaged and productive.

• Keep Team Members Informed

Effective leadership involves clear communication. Leaders must provide not only the "what" but the "why" behind actions and decisions. This clarity helps team members understand their roles and the impact of their work, fostering a sense of purpose and direction.

• Make Sound and Timely Decisions

Leaders are often faced with decision-making under uncertainty. Using structured frameworks can aid in making thoughtful yet timely decisions. Whether decisions are reversible or not, understanding the nuances of each situation helps leaders make informed choices that are in the best interest of their teams and objectives.

• Set the Example and Take Responsibility

Finally, effective leaders lead by example. They set the standard for behavior, work ethic, and responsibility within their teams. When mistakes happen, strong leaders take accountability, demonstrating to their teams how to handle setbacks gracefully.

Through these principles, leaders can craft a style that is not only effective but also respectful and inspiring. As we delve deeper into each principle in subsequent sections, remember that leadership, at its core, is about guiding and empowering others – a responsibility and an art form in itself. We’re going to explore these principles in two posts. We’ll cover three of these in this article and three in the next. 

Know Yourself and Seek Self-Improvement

In the realm of leadership, one of the most enduring principles is the necessity to "Know Yourself and Seek Self-Improvement." This principle is foundational because it underscores the importance of self-awareness and continuous growth in leadership effectiveness. It suggests that before one can effectively lead others, one must first understand and manage oneself.

Self-awareness involves a deep understanding of your personality, including your strengths, weaknesses, thoughts, beliefs, motivation, and emotions. It allows leaders to craft their approaches and strategies in ways that play to their strengths and mitigate their weaknesses. Moreover, self-aware leaders are more adept at handling the dynamics of human relationships–crucial for any leadership role.

The pursuit of self-improvement is an ongoing process of skills enhancement, learning new things, and personal growth. It demands a proactive approach to learning and development. This can be through formal education, reading, seeking feedback, and reflecting on one's actions and their outcomes.

Nelson Mandela's journey provides a profound illustration of this principle. His leadership was not only about leading others but also about his profound journey of self-awareness and self-improvement. In his early years, Mandela recognized the impact of apartheid on his people, which ignited his motivation to make a change. However, his early approach was fiery and uncompromising, often clashing with the more measured approaches of his peers. His imprisonment was a pivotal moment of self-reflection.

During his 27 years in prison, Mandela embarked on a remarkable journey of self-improvement. He studied Afrikaans, the language of his oppressors, to understand and communicate better with them. He also studied law and other subjects, enhancing his knowledge and understanding, which were crucial in his later years as a leader. Mandela used his time in prison to reflect on his leadership and personal attitudes. This period of isolation became a transformative era where he cultivated patience, humility, and a more inclusive approach to leadership.

Upon his release, Mandela’s approach to leadership had transformed significantly. He championed reconciliation, seeking to unite a divided country. His self-awareness allowed him to see the bigger picture and understand the role he had to play–not as a vengeful leader but as a unifying figure. His presidency and subsequent actions were marked by efforts to understand and appreciate different perspectives, fostering a spirit of forgiveness and collaboration across the country’s deeply divided groups.

Mandela's example demonstrates how understanding and improving oneself can lead to profound impacts not just on a personal level but also on a larger scale. By knowing his strengths and limitations, Mandela was able to devise leadership strategies that were inclusive, effective, and profoundly transformative.

"Know Yourself and Seek Self-Improvement" is a principle that serves as the bedrock of effective leadership. It is about more than just professional development; it is about cultivating a deep understanding of oneself to lead others more effectively. Leaders who embrace this principle can adapt, grow, and meet the challenges of leadership with resilience and insight. Just like Mandela, leaders everywhere can benefit from this introspective approach to refine their leadership and make a meaningful impact.

Technical Proficiency

Technical proficiency is often highlighted as a pivotal principle in effective leadership, especially in fields where expertise and detailed knowledge are paramount. This principle asserts that leaders should have a strong foundational understanding of the technical aspects of their roles. It is not merely about mastering specific tools or techniques but about fostering a broad and deep understanding that enhances decision-making and credibility within a team.

Technical proficiency allows leaders to guide their teams more effectively, make informed decisions, understand the challenges faced by their teams, and communicate more effectively with technical stakeholders. It also equips leaders with the skills necessary to evaluate the work performed under their guidance, ensuring high standards and innovative solutions.

Ursula Burns serves as a compelling example of a leader who leveraged technical proficiency to ascend to and excel in a leadership role. As the former CEO of Xerox, Burns's journey through the ranks of the company is a testament to how technical skills can complement leadership qualities to drive a company forward.

Burns joined Xerox as a mechanical engineering intern and later became a permanent employee. Her education and early career at Xerox were grounded in engineering–a technical field that demands precision and expertise. Her deep understanding of engineering principles and practices was crucial as she took on increasingly complex projects within the company.

When Burns eventually rose to the position of CEO, she took the helm during a turbulent time for Xerox. The company was shifting from its traditional roots in photocopier manufacturing to becoming a service-oriented technology company. Burns's technical background was crucial during this transition. Her understanding of the company’s core technologies enabled her to oversee the development of new services and solutions that were technologically innovative and commercially viable.

Burns’s technical proficiency allowed her to effectively lead large-scale projects and innovations. She was instrumental in steering the company towards service automation and document management, sectors that demanded a high degree of technical knowledge. Her ability to grasp complex technical details and her foresight in seeing how technology could be leveraged to meet business goals were key factors in Xerox’s evolution.

Ursula Burns’s story highlights the significance of technical proficiency in a leadership role. Her ability to understand and engage with the technical aspects of the business not only allowed her to make informed decisions but also helped her earn the respect and trust of her technical teams. By combining her technical grounding with strategic leadership skills, she successfully transformed Xerox into a company ready to face modern business challenges.

Technical proficiency is more than just an asset for leaders–it's a critical component of effective leadership in technology-driven industries. Leaders who invest time in developing their technical skills can anticipate trends, drive innovation, and lead their organizations successfully through complex challenges. Ursula Burns’s tenure at Xerox is a prime example of how technical knowledge can empower leaders, foster innovation, and lead to transformative business outcomes. Leaders aiming for long-term success should consider embracing the principle of technical proficiency to enhance their effectiveness and credibility.

Know Your People and Look Out for Their Welfare

In leadership, one of the most impactful principles is the commitment to "Know Your People and Look Out for Their Welfare." This principle underscores the importance of understanding the individuals within your team–not just their skills and roles, but their aspirations, personal challenges, and well-being. Effective leaders recognize that the strength of a team is built on the foundation of mutual trust and respect, cultivated by genuinely caring for the welfare of each member.

Knowing your people goes beyond professional scope. It involves an understanding of their personal life events, motivations, stressors, and health. This deep level of understanding enables leaders to foster a supportive work environment that can lead to increased productivity, morale, and loyalty. It also helps in tailoring leadership approaches to suit individual team members, enhancing overall team effectiveness.

I’m a big fan of origin stories for people as well as companies. Most of us have heard of origin stories with regard to comic heroes, religion, and cultures, but people and companies have them too. People tell narratives as sense making and value expression. They want to be appreciated for what they have accomplished. Without knowing where they came from, demonstrating this respect or appreciating their journey is difficult to do. 

Certainly knowing if a team member is caring for a sick partner or if they are distracted this week because of a personal connection to a news event, allows you to better lead them. This might be a better week to give them a less challenging task. While some people are very private and don’t want to share much about themselves, as a leader you need to be there for them. Put in the time to build trust to demonstrate that under your leadership there is a safe space to be open should they want to share. 

The second part of this leadership principle is looking out for your team members’ welfare. There are a lot of ways leaders accomplish this such as assigning them less demanding tasks when necessary. However, sometimes just the opposite is needed. While not everyone loves the hardest challenges, some people do (we need to know this about our people). Sometimes people need to be recharged by assigning them a really challenging task. Let them surprise you and sometimes themselves by accomplishing it. While we don’t relish the thought, sometimes asking people to leave the team or even the company is looking out for them. When someone is not performing, rarely do they not feel it and often it is super stressful for them as well. Likely there is a better fit for them on a different team or part of a different company. 

Looking out for a team member’s welfare involves a myriad of different things, protecting them from burning out, challenging them, promoting them, and giving direct feedback, etc. In order to do this well, we really need to know them each individually as well as how they work as a team. Do some people work better together or does a mentor/mentee relationship exist between team members? Leading is not just telling people what to do, it requires investment of time and thought to carefully consider how to best utilize these wonderfully talented people on our teams. 

Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, exemplifies this leadership principle. Under his leadership, Starbucks became renowned not just for its coffee but for its employee-focused policies and positive work environment.

Schultz's leadership philosophy was heavily influenced by his early experiences and observations of his father's struggles with poor working conditions and lack of employee benefits. This shaped his approach when he took the helm at Starbucks. He recognized that happy employees would lead to better customer service, which in turn would drive the success of the business.

Schultz was pioneering in offering comprehensive health benefits and stock options to all employees, including part-time workers–a rare practice in the retail sector at the time. This decision was rooted in his belief that employees should share in the company's success and have their welfare protected. These policies not only improved employee satisfaction but also reduced turnover and attracted talent.

Schultz made the decision to give 14% of everyone’s base pay in the form of stock options at the end of the year based on the strike price. Schultz stated in a recent podcast, “I think the turning point of the culture of the company was the day we announced that and we became partners.” That initial grant has grown by 800 times since even the part-time employees and baristas were offered the opportunity to buy Starbucks stock.

Schultz's leadership was also marked by his response to crises affecting his employees. For example, following natural disasters, Schultz was known for ensuring that affected employees received support, whether it was financial assistance or mental health support. His proactive approach in looking out for his employees’ welfare cemented loyalty and fostered a strong, community-like company culture.

Howard Schultz’s leadership at Starbucks shows how deeply knowing and caring for the welfare of your people can transform a company. His initiatives not only improved employee welfare but also enhanced Starbucks' brand image, customer loyalty, and profitability. This holistic approach to employee welfare demonstrates that caring for employees is not just good ethics–it's also good business.

"Know Your People and Look Out for Their Welfare" is a crucial leadership principle that has tangible benefits for both employees and the organization. Leaders like Howard Schultz remind us that leadership is not just about strategy and profits; it’s also about the human side of operations. By prioritizing the welfare of team members, leaders can create a supportive, loyal, and motivated workforce capable of achieving great success. Leaders looking to make a lasting impact should consider how they can better understand and support their teams in every aspect of their lives.

We’ll continue our exploration of these principles in next week’s article.