HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL LEADERS: THREE GUIDING PRINCIPLES AND SKILLS

Part 2 of 4

Part 1 of this series provided an overview of Highly Successful Leaders. We learned that there is no secret to being a leader. However, we also know that Highly Successful Leaders share three Principles and Skills. They are:

• Highly Successful leaders are AUTHENTIC – they know who they are and where they are going. They set the direction and pace for the organization and lead by example.

• Highly Successful Leaders provide VISION, VALUES, and STRATEGIES to transform their organization to higher levels of sustained success

• Highly Successful Leaders have PERSONAL and ORGANIZATIONAL VALUES which govern their behavior. They lead by values.

The focus of Part 2 is on being AUTHENTIC. Authentic is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as “that which can be believed or accepted; trustworthy, reliable, genuine, and real.” When you identify leadership on a personal level, you develop the authenticity to become a world-class leader. Leadership must start with the individual. Personal leadership precedes professional leadership, and authenticity is a cornerstone for both.


An important trait of an authentic person is openness, because authenticity is grounded in freedom, which is openness to being. The authentic person is alive to possibilities: his own, other people and the world at large. This openness is expressed to others through honesty and accessibility. The authentic leader is one who creates an organization where everyone feels free to be open, innovative and alive to possibilities.


Authentic people understand who they are and what strengths they have. They also understand the weaknesses or limitations they have. They place themselves in positions to take advantage of their strengths while simultaneously avoiding as much as possible having to use their weaknesses or limitations. Another way of looking at it is they are the person who is the right fit for that particular position. Equally important they are able to see other’s strengths and find the right fit for those strengths. People who are able to utilize their strengths will find success. Success leads to more success.


The following quote is sums this up quite nicely “ Stop trying to put in what God left out and instead, work with what he put in.” Dr Robert Hartman. Dr Hartman is the founder of the science of Axiology.


Please feel free to visit my website or contact me directly for more information. I do utilize an assessment called the Attribute Index that can help identify what makes you authentic. Remember Leadership is a skill that can be developed. What are you doing to develop your leadership skills and the leadership skills of your team?