By Ben Renshaw, Director of Success Intelligence

The development of great leadership is becoming more and more of a strategic priority for organisations. In a world of sameness, i.e. similar products, services and systems, what becomes a competitive differentiator is the quality of leadership that guides an organisation towards its vision. Success Intelligence is now involved in several major leadership development programmes in a variety of sectors including hospitality, manufacturing, banking and professional service firms. This month I wanted to share one of our key ideas to provoke your thinking about leadership:

Vision is not an exclusive club. We have been recently asked to run a leadership programme for 1000 managers in a large manufacturing organisation. Part of the initial challenge to engage people on this journey is that the majority of them do not think of themselves as leaders. The consequence of this mindset includes people waiting to be told what to do, failing to take accountability for their actions, limited decision-making and a short-term focus on results. In a world of work in which there is a need for people to demonstrate greater innovation and creativity, an ability to do more with less and to build collaborative partnerships, understanding that leadership is not for the chosen few is a critical aspect of breaking down narrow parameters that prevent people from fulfilling their potential.

The recognition that vision is available to all does not mean that you have to become a Steve Jobs, or Nelson Mandela. It does mean that you have to develop the ability to see things clearly and to have a well thought through definition of success. A few weeks ago I was running a session for an executive team with Robert Holden. We asked the team who had a written definition of success. One hand went up. This person described how 25 years ago they had formulated their vision for success. When we asked what benefits they had received as a result the individual said two things; Focus and Fulfilment. They went onto say that one of the most powerful aspects of having a clear vision was that it had given them a path to follow, providing important sign posts along their journey.

It can appear overwhelming at first when you start embracing the idea of vision. A simple exercise to provoke your thinking is to ask yourself, ‘What is success today?’ In other words, ‘How would you know at the end of a day if you’ve been successful or not?’ These questions are at the heart of Success Intelligence and on a personal note have been one of the most beneficial techniques to help me become more visionary. A couple of years ago I decided to really get to grips with these questions. One thing we do, as a team at Success Intelligence is to use legendary moleskine notebooks used by thinkers and artists like Pablo Picasso and Ernest Hemingway. These are our success journals. I committed to asking myself the question, ‘What is success today?’ every day for 365 days and writing down my answer. It got to the point that if I had forgotten to do it, by 11 o’clock I knew something was missing. I had to pull out my book and make sure that I had clarified what was most important for me that day. It had a profound effect not only on the way I felt, but also how I approached my work and life.

Here are three benefits of making vision your learning curve:
1. Making sure what’s important stays important. In a manic, busy and hyper world it’s easy to forget what really matters. The act of developing your vision brings you closer to what’s most precious in your life, work and relationships.
2. Overcoming our limitations. Most of the barriers that we have to resolve in life our self-imposed. Vision provides a context to face our fears and realise that we may be greater than we originally believed.
3. Enjoying the ride. As John Lennon famously said, ‘Life is not a dress rehearsal’. It’s easy to live so many years ahead of each day that we can fail to make the most of now.

As a result of this blog I encourage you to ask yourself, ‘What is success?’ daily for the next 30 days and allow yourself to receive the gift of vision.

by Ben Renshaw, Co-Director of Success Intelligence

Today was a significant event as the 150 leaders of Government Council gathered together to focus on how they were going to create leadership success in an uncertain future. As a Council they are being faced with needing to make 12-20% financial cuts over the next 3 years, which they recognise means that they will have to discover new ways of leading to deliver the same quality of service with less resource.

I had been invited to stimulate their thinking and had put together 3 key leadership themes to explore:

1. Leadership inspiration.
I started off with the idea that leadership is inspiration. I cited research from the Department of Trade and Industry who conducted a national survey to find out the components of successful leadership. Top of the list with 53% of respondents was inspiration. However, when asked how inspirational employees found their leaders only 11% believed that their leaders had the ability to inspire. This was in marked contrast to the 75% of leaders who thought that they did inspire their people. I find this ‘inspiration gap’ very common. In fact I would go as far to say that it’s quite rare to find leaders who genuinely set a compelling example for their people on a regular basis.

The first challenge I set the group was to think about the kind of decisions they make in the formative part of their days. Responses included, ‘Hit snooze’, ‘Walk the dog’, ‘Get the kids up’, ‘What am I going to wear?’ Inspirational stuff from a room of senior leaders! I set out a proposition that being inspirational starts with a mindset. It is influenced by the type of decisions you make each day. Set the intention to be inspirational and it will encourage you to make it a priority. I then invited people to reflect upon what inspires them through questions such as, ‘What do I love?’ ‘What is my joy?’ ‘What is my passion?’ It was heartening to see a group move from being relatively cynical about leadership to becoming genuinely engaged with the recognition that in order to inspire others, they need to be inspired themselves.

2. Leadership style.
Great leaders have the ability to read situations well and adapt their styles accordingly. One of the most outstanding leaders I know is a CEO who has a remarkable ability to flex his style in an effortless way including fronting up to the City, communicating with shareholders, working with his executive team and inspiring his employees. However, it wasn’t always the case. When he landed the coveted job of CEO he was renowned for a highly directive style, which had certainly helped him get where he was, but was not going to help him succeed in the future. He quickly recognised that in order to engage his workforce he needed to develop a variety of styles, in particular a collaborative style that ensured others felt important through being consulted, listened to and trusted.

Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, conducted extensive research on leadership styles and identified 6 key styles, each of which has a different impact on the quality of the culture in an organisation. In his well-known Harvard Business Review article, 'Leadership That Gets Results', the most positive style that emerged was a visionary one. The ability to articulate a compelling vision with the message, ‘Come with me’ creates the necessary alignment to take a company forward. Other styles with a positive impact included a democratic and coaching approach. The most negative styles were a commanding/coercive style, which is appropriate in a crisis, but if used overtime causes high levels of disengagement, and a pace-setting approach, which certainly helps drive performance, but if overused burns people out and is not sustainable.

3. Leadership growth.
I challenged the audience to think if they have reached their leadership peak, or do they still have room to grow? One of the key principles of Success Intelligence is ‘For an organisation to grow, its leaders need to grow’. In our work we see a direct correlation between individual and organisational development. In fact the consultancy McKinsey cited important research from their seminal work, War for Talent, which showed that 53% of managers left their jobs specifically due to a lack of development, in the form of coaching, mentoring and job rotation.

Take a moment now to think about how have you grown so far in 2009, and how you intend to grow coming into 2010?

I want to leave you with the idea that leadership success is not a position, title, or role. Ultimately, it is a commitment to giving your best energy, opening your heart, sharing your thoughtful reflections and being inspired yourself.

Today, I watched, along with everyone else in the world, the inauguration of the 44th American President, Barack Obama. Ever since Mr Obama was nominated for the Democratic candidacy, he has conducted himself as a genuine and principled person. Mr Obama has inspired a level of faith and hope in people that is frankly uncommon in politicians. Today, America got a new President, and, even more importantly, the world has a new leader. Because of Mr Obama’s breadth of vision, and his abiding sense of purpose, I believe he will serve the world well. And, therefore, I wish you, Mr Obama, and your family, every success.

The day after Barack Obama won the Presidential election, Alice Walker, the Pulitzer Prise-winning author, poet and activist, wrote the President-elect an open letter. I was deeply moved by Alice Walker’s letter, and have since shared it with hundreds of people who have attended my seminars. In her letter, Alice Walker offers wise counsel to Mr Obama on the challenges of leadership and the difficult times ahead. You can read the full transcript at The Root, or, if you like, see her read the letter on Democracy NOW, a daily radio TV show.

Here, I will share an excerpt from Alice Walker’s letter, which highlights the integral relationship between personal happiness and true success. It reads:

I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.

When I read these words, I felt like Alice Walker had written them for me. In my work with Success Intelligence and The Happiness Project, I have learned that, happiness creates success. In other words, when you cultivate a sense of joy inside yourself it helps you to access a whole new level of inspiration, talent, resilience, and support. Success can lead to happiness; but most of all, happiness leads to success. Psychology research backs this theory. Longitudinal studies, which follow the well-being of people over many years, show that inner happiness helps to promote career success, loving relationships, good health, financial prosperity, and a rich spiritual life. Your inner happiness is the key to authentic success.

Alice Walker goes on to talk about leadership, forgiveness, and the need to lighten and brighten our world. She finishes her open letter to Barack Obama with the words: “We are the ones we have been waiting for.” Her letter is really addressed to us all.

While Mr Obama takes his Presidential oath, and makes his acceptance speeches, let us use this occasion to reflect on how we can take a lead in our own lives. On some level, we are all world leaders, because on some level we all create the world. My prayer for today, therefore, is that we may all step forward so as to be even more of the person we came to be.

And so be it.

I have just returned from a leadership retreat, held in the South of England. My role was to facilitate a conversation over two days that explored the essence of what leadership is and how we can all be better leaders.

The venue for the retreat was Leeds Castle, set in the heart of the Kent countryside. This beautiful, Saxon-built castle features an eclectic mix of period architecture from across the centuries. It was once home to King Edward I, founder of the British Parliament, and also King Henry V, who is frequently researched by scholars of leadership.

The assembled group, about 20 of us in total, was also rather eclectic, featuring CEOs, Chairmen, Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Senior Partners, General Council, and knighted captains of industry. The conversation flowed well. Chatham House Rule ensured both confidentiality and honesty. We shared our personal stories. We reflected on triumphs and defeats. We identified lessons learned. We talked about what inspires us, and why we feel called to lead.

As the retreat drew to a close, we acknowledged to each other that we had participated in a conversation full of rich insights and practical help for leading in these especially challenging times. Here is a brief excerpt from my personal notes, which I will call, Five Lessons for Leadership NOW.

Lesson #1: Leadership is not a position; it’s an attitude.
Everyone is a potential leader. A leader is anyone who is willing to “take a lead” in any situation. A leader recognizes that they create the world they live in. The world is an effect; not a cause. We are the ones who cause the effect. And the world changes, when we do. Therefore, one person really can make a difference. An effective leader usually has a good idea of the difference they want to make.

Lesson #2: Leadership looks after the Spiritual DNA.
A leader is someone who is willing to dig deep inside to know who they really are, and what their life is for. They are in search of the “true self”; they are inner-directed; they look after the identity of the organization; they look after the Spiritual DNA; they grow the signature strengths; and they help individuals and organizations achieve authentic success.

Lesson #3: A leader has a vision, and teaches people to see.
A leader has a vision, not just for the next three months, but over the long-term too. They see what is necessary now, and they can also see something of the future. Leaders are the custodians of the vision, and they keep the vision alive in their own mind and in the minds of others. Leadership is about seeing the possibility for something that might not exist yet. A leader is someone who sees possibility in any situation – a possibility for more love, more truth, more honesty, for instance – and thereby helps to bring it into existence.

Lesson #4: It is the JOY of leadership that sustains you.
Leadership is not always easy. You are often the first to fall, the first to be criticized, the first to be accused, the first to be attacked. AND, you have to be willing to be the first to get back on your feet, the first to learn, the first to forgive, and the first to move on. It can be easy to forget “the joy” of what you do; but when you remember “the joy” it can sustain you in all manner of ways.

Lesson #5: Leaders grow, and they keep on growing.
A leader is someone who understands that “we” cannot grow if “I” will not grow. A marriage cannot grow, if I will not grow. A friendship cannot grow, if I will not grow. A team cannot grow, if I will not grow. An organization cannot grow, if I will not grow. Peter Drucker said, “Leaders grow; they are not made.” A leader wants to grow, and that is what makes others want to grow too. Everyday, think about what inspires you, what is real, and what you aspire to – right now.

Today, I watched, along with everyone else in the world, the inauguration of the 44th American President, Barack Obama. Ever since Mr Obama was nominated for the Democratic candidacy, he has conducted himself as a genuine and principled person. Mr Obama has inspired a level of faith and hope in people that is frankly uncommon in politicians. Today, America got a new President, and, even more importantly, the world has a new leader. Because of Mr Obama’s breadth of vision, and his abiding sense of purpose, I believe he will serve the world well. And, therefore, I wish you, Mr Obama, and your family, every success.

The day after Barack Obama won the Presidential election, Alice Walker, the Pulitzer Prise-winning author, poet and activist, wrote the President-elect an open letter. I was deeply moved by Alice Walker’s letter, and have since shared it with hundreds of people who have attended my seminars. In her letter, Alice Walker offers wise counsel to Mr Obama on the challenges of leadership and the difficult times ahead. You can read the full transcript The Root, or, if you like, see her read the letter on Democracy NOW, a daily radio/TV show.

Here, I will share an excerpt from Alice Walker’s letter, which highlights the integral relationship between personal happiness and true success. It reads:

I would advise you to remember that you did not create the disaster that the world is experiencing, and you alone are not responsible for bringing the world back to balance. A primary responsibility that you do have, however, is to cultivate happiness in your own life. To make a schedule that permits sufficient time of rest and play with your gorgeous wife and lovely daughters. And so on. One gathers that your family is large. We are used to seeing men in the White House soon become juiceless and as white-haired as the building; we notice their wives and children looking strained and stressed. They soon have smiles so lacking in joy that they remind us of scissors. This is no way to lead. Nor does your family deserve this fate. One way of thinking about all this is: It is so bad now that there is no excuse not to relax. From your happy, relaxed state, you can model real success, which is all that so many people in the world really want. They may buy endless cars and houses and furs and gobble up all the attention and space they can manage, or barely manage, but this is because it is not yet clear to them that success is truly an inside job. That it is within the reach of almost everyone.

When I read these words, I felt like Alice Walker had written them for me. In my work with Success Intelligence and The Happiness Project, I have learned that, happiness creates success. In other words, when you cultivate a sense of joy inside yourself it helps you to access a whole new level of inspiration, talent, resilience, and support. Success can lead to happiness; but most of all, happiness leads to success. Psychology research backs this theory. Longitudinal studies, which follow the well-being of people over many years, show that inner happiness helps to promote career success, loving relationships, good health, financial prosperity, and a rich spiritual life. Your inner happiness is the key to authentic success.

Alice Walker goes on to talk about leadership, forgiveness, and the need to lighten and brighten our world. She finishes her open letter to Barack Obama with the words: “We are the ones we have been waiting for.” Her letter is really addressed to us all.

While Mr Obama takes his Presidential oath, and makes his acceptance speeches, let us use this occasion to reflect on how we can take a lead in our own lives. On some level, we are all world leaders, because on some level we all create the world. My prayer for today, therefore, is that we may all step forward so as to be even more of the person we came to be.

And so be it.