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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Leadership now!</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Henley Morgan
Thursday, January 04, 2007
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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=88 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Henley Morgan</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Consider for a moment what our perception of how we look would be, had the mirror not been invented. Getting feedback that's credible and reliable is vital to self-improvement.<P class=StoryText align=justify>For the leader, that feedback can only come from followers.
But most leaders do not encourage such a frank assessment from the ranks of subordinates. Understandably, in a tight economy such as ours where jobs are at a premium and favour is everything, followers are afraid to say anything that may be taken by the leader to be a criticism. Surely, this must be at the root of the sad joke that passes for leadership in many quarters.<P class=StoryText align=justify>I admire the courage of Jethro, the priest from Midian who was Moses' father-in-law. The story as told in the King James translation of the Bible is that Jethro travelled to see Moses at a time when the latter had ascended to the lofty height of maximum leader of the children of Israel. On the day of his arrival there was the usual exchange of pleasantries, but Jethro soon saw something in the leadership style of his powerful son-in-law that troubled him.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Chapter 18 of the book of Exodus describes the ensuing encounter this way. "And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people and the people stood by Moses from morning unto the evening. And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, "What is this thing that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee for this thing (leadership) is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone." Jethro then went on to give Moses a lesson in administrative leadership and delegation of responsibilities.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Three cheers for Jethro. He won the day and got to keep his head. Try a similar thing with your maximum leader and see how you fare. By the way, Moses yielded to Jethro's advice but his obstinacy would eventually get the better of him so God killed him rather than have him set foot upon the Promised Land. There is a moral in this story for despotic, arrogant and egocentric leaders of whom there is no shortage.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The use of so-called 360-degree leadership assessments is becoming widespread. These are professionally administered instruments that elicit responses from a leader's direct reports on a number of issues that define leadership quality; for example, clarity of vision, ability to motivate people towards achieving the vision, communication skills and receptiveness to feedback, willingness to share power and to be held accountable, respect for people, decision-making and ethics. The instruments (questionnaires) are anonymously completed to encourage frankness in the responses. The results are compiled and shared with the leader on the expectation that the effect will be the same as looking into a mirror to identify flaws.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Assessments such as the 360 degrees expose six common myths concerning leadership.<P class=StoryText align=justify>. Everyone can be a great leader.<P class=StoryText align=justify>. The bearer of the vision, message or burden is necessarily the one best suited to lead.<P class=StoryText align=justify>. The
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Henley Morgan
Thursday, January 04, 2007
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=88 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Henley Morgan</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Consider for a moment what our perception of how we look would be, had the mirror not been invented. Getting feedback that's credible and reliable is vital to self-improvement.<P class=StoryText align=justify>For the leader, that feedback can only come from followers. But most leaders do not encourage such a frank assessment from the ranks of subordinates. Understandably, in a tight economy such as ours where jobs are at a premium and favour is everything, followers are afraid to say anything that may be taken by the leader to be a criticism. Surely, this must be at the root of the sad joke that passes for leadership in many quarters.<P class=StoryText align=justify>I admire the courage of Jethro, the priest from Midian who was Moses' father-in-law. The story as told in the King James translation of the Bible is that Jethro travelled to see Moses at a time when the latter had ascended to the lofty height of maximum leader of the children of Israel. On the day of his arrival there was the usual exchange of pleasantries, but Jethro soon saw something in the leadership style of his powerful son-in-law that troubled him.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Chapter 18 of the book of Exodus describes the ensuing encounter this way. "And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses sat to judge the people and the people stood by Moses from morning unto the evening. And when Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, "What is this thing that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning unto even? The thing that thou doest is not good. Thou wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee for this thing (leadership) is too heavy for thee; thou art not able to perform it thyself alone." Jethro then went on to give Moses a lesson in administrative leadership and delegation of responsibilities.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Three cheers for Jethro. He won the day and got to keep his head. Try a similar thing with your maximum leader and see how you fare. By the way, Moses yielded to Jethro's advice but his obstinacy would eventually get the better of him so God killed him rather than have him set foot upon the Promised Land. There is a moral in this story for despotic, arrogant and egocentric leaders of whom there is no shortage.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The use of so-called 360-degree leadership assessments is becoming widespread. These are professionally administered instruments that elicit responses from a leader's direct reports on a number of issues that define leadership quality; for example, clarity of vision, ability to motivate people towards achieving the vision, communication skills and receptiveness to feedback, willingness to share power and to be held accountable, respect for people, decision-making and ethics. The instruments (questionnaires) are anonymously completed to encourage frankness in the responses. The results are compiled and shared with the leader on the expectation that the effect will be the same as looking into a mirror to identify flaws.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Assessments such as the 360 degrees expose six common myths concerning leadership.<P class=StoryText align=justify>. Everyone can be a great leader.<P class=StoryText align=justify>. The bearer of the vision, message or burden is necessarily the one best suited to lead.<P class=StoryText align=justify>. The
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