This morning I read an article about the 9 Traits That Define Great Leadership and thought about how to use this a tool for development. Theory is foundational, but ACTION is what brings it to life and makes it stick. “If you want to join the ranks of the best of the best, make sure you embody all these qualities . . .” is what the author tells us, and I agree.
So it got me thinking, how would I take a list like this and make it real? Setting aside some space on your calendar and a good place to noodle and doodle, focus on each trait, one at a time. Ask and answer the following questions:
“What does this trait look/sound/feel like in behavioral terms, to me and to others?”
After priming the pump with the brainstormed ideas, I’d get more specific and define that trait (still taking them one at a time) on a scale from 1 (low competence) to 5 (highly skilled at this trait): a person at level 1 –needing improvement– looks like this, at mid-competence level 3 like this, high-performing at level 5 like this.
Then I’d ask (you probably guessed this), “How would I –honestly– rate myself on each scale, for each trait?”
This is the first of a three-part series.
