Leadership Characteristics: This One Is…
Kind of Boring and Hard-for-Me…

I’ve struggled with this article about leadership characteristics. My plan has been four articles, one for each foundational, key skill we teach in our Competitive Advantage Leadership and Life (CALL) skills program.

Last month I wrote about jerk leaders and the first skill, Cultivate a Positive Sense of Self in Others. Click here to read the Jerk Leader article. (Opens a new window.) THAT article about leadership characteristics was fun to write and it all came together easily.

Last night I figured out why I’ve had a hard time pulling this article together – this is the skill I struggle with the most. And on the surface it’s kind of a boring skill. (Spoken like someone who struggles with it, ya' think?)

It’s a skill that many leaders have a hard time doing well. It’s definitely a crucial skill to develop if you want to lead effectively. I’ve gotten better at it over the years and I continue to improve, but it is definitely not my strong suit.

What about you? How good are you at this second CALL program leadership characteristic: Addresses Problems Quickly By Focusing on Facts and Behaviors?

This is the ability to quickly, specifically and factually discuss with each team member poor job performance, ineffective personal behaviors and poor work habits. If you’re doing this well you address problems quickly, objectively and without judgment and in such a way that the employee wants to take positive action.

This leadership characteristic is important for addressing challenging problems like:

• Minor rule infractions (Seems nit-picky, but can get out of control if not discussed.)
• Personal matters – such as how someone dresses, bathes or if they have a sloppy work area (Seems like a private matter, we’d rather ‘mind our own business.’)
• Too many personal calls or some other seemingly small bad habit– especially if this person’s a high performer. (Again, it seems nit-picky when this person does so well In so many other areas.)
• Someone who’s very sensitive to feedback or normally argumentative. (Easier to avoid this person , that is until the problem gets bigger.)
• Ineffective behaviors and communication style issues. (Give me factual errors to address over these areas, anytime!)

Learning how to address these areas quickly and without judgment is crucial because it improves employee trust. Everyone is watching and how you treat one person, and it sets the stage for how others expect to be treated.

If you’re effective in this area people will respect your ability to be fair and direct. They’ll know where they stand and will not have to wonder. High trust on a team is built through respectful, honest and sometimes tough and candid discussions. This is why this skill is one of four foundational, leadership characteristics we cover in the CALL program.

I've not had great role models for this skill, throughout my career. Most of the leaders I’ve worked for have been either too harsh or too easy. It's not an easy balance to strike.

My husband, Jeff, is the best example of someone close to me who’s mastered this skill. He has candid and straightforward conversations with everyone he leads and with his family. It's refreshing to be around, and it creates honest, direct, no-under-currents kind of relationships.

Undercurrents are those under-the-surface,unsaid opinions and emotions that can rumble into a tidal wave if not brought to the surface effectively.

Leaders, like Jeff, who excel in this crucial leadership characteristic: Addresses Problems Quickly By Focusing on Facts and Behaviors, have mastered these areas.

They:

• Are neither insensitive or harsh OR too sensitive and ‘nice’.
• Are not hypercritical – stays focused on possibilities and strengths in others, rather than flaws and yet is not too optimistic and positive.
• Able to use and share objective data and facts (over gut instinct) when having performance discussions.
• Have the ability to balance the needs of the situation versus the needs of the people – and address both adequately.
• Can remain calm and positively in control in emotionally charged environments.
• Are aware of, but not slave to, the feelings of others.

Two actions we can take to improve our ability in this very important leadership characteristic include:

1. Plan discussions ahead of time. Think through these areas BEFORE your discussion and follow this format:
1. Get clear about and write out your objective for the meeting/discussion.
2. Describe the problem factually and specifically – using this litmus test: “What Did I See? What Did I Hear?
3. Gain agreement about the problem, by being factual and by asking the employee his/her view of the situation.
4. Once the problem’s been defined, BEFORE sharing your ideas for a solution ask the employee to share ideas. (It’s better to get them in the boat with you, rather than poking holes so you can both sink –using the facts and asking for input, helps get the employee involved. )
5. Be prepared to agree on a plan for improvement.
6. Schedule follow up time for review.
2. Get really good at receiving feedback and practice giving feedback.
1. Ask for feedback with a 360 feedback report Click here for more information on 360 feedback and the top 13 errors when using this tool.
2. Practice and become a great role model for how to give and receive feedback by asking for feedback in person from your peers, manager and direct reports.
3. Join Toastmasters. This great, inexpensive organization provides plenty of opportunity to give feedback, receive feedback and improve communication and speaking skills. I attend a local meeting every week.

"There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self. " --- Aldous Huxley

Get a PDF Memory Jogger card of the four leadership characteristics covered in our CALL program, HERE.

Next month I'll cover the third of four leadership characteristics that makes or breaks all leaders. It's a skill that I've really worked to hone, and so THAT article may come sooner, since it's something I DO excel at.

Ah, where we would be without development opportunities? Probably a little stagnant and maybe bored.

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