Leadership Article

An article on Leadership from Fast Company.

Find the best people, then become the person they want to lead them.

Be the leader your team wants you to be.

My self-assessment in italics.

1. Takes initiative.
# Their default mode is to be proactive rather than passive or reactive.

3.5 on 5

2. Makes (a) and keeps (b) commitments.
# They will give the same effort to a decision they disagree with as they will to a decision they agree with.

2 a. 3.5 on 5
2 b. 4 on 5

3. Co-operates.
# Says, "Yes," instead of, "Yes, but..."

4 on 5

4. Is accountable for decisions (a), actions (b), and consequences (c).
# They own up to their mistakes and pay the consequences.
# They know that saying, "I'm sorry," is just the beginning of being accountable.

4 a. 3 on 5
4 b. 3 on 5
4 c. 3 on 5

5. Learns from their mistakes.
# They make mistakes but don't keep making the same mistakes.

3 on 5

6. Talks about ideas and not about people
# They would much rather talk about ideas to make their company better and implement them, rather than talk about people and how unfair things are.

3.5 on 5

7. Has a strong sense of ethics.
# Their default mode is to do the right thing.

4 on 5

Some compliments that I've received as a leader:

Yohann in Bangalore.
Maan, I'd love to work with you. I want you to be my team leader.

Milind in Bangalore.
Given a chance you can lead people to the moon.

Navneeth in Bangalore
I look up to you. I want to be like you.

Some brickbats that I've received as a leader and an individual:

On occasions at work.

Pushes hard.
Intimidates people.
Tries to dominate. - I disagree with this.
Wants to change things overnight.