7 essential elements - revisited

Thank you for the terrific comments and feedback on my original post, 7 essential attributes of leaders.  Here is how I would sum things up:

There are numerous soft-skills (competencies) that contribute to in-house leadership and job success – way more than these 7.  To the list of 7, readers added attributes such as patience, common sense, discipline, presence of mind, resourcefulness, natural authority, a sense of humor, creativity, humility, flexibility, and tolerance.  The list goes on.

For those searching for an absolute right list or priority (or order) -- there is none.  The right list and priority differ by company, job, and person, with the most critical variable being the person (you or your direct report):

Action plan.

Step 1.  Identify which competencies are most important for your job success at your company.  For starters, use this list and others available online; and review your job description, your company's statement of values, and past performance reviews.  Ask for suggestions from your boss and/or peers whose advice you respect.

Step 2.  Evaluate where you stand (either self-evaluation or feedback from others).

Step 3. Determine which are your strengths (no need to focus on these), which are your areas of development (these should be your principal focus), and which are your over-strengths (need to tune these down).

Step 4.  Put together an action plan (development plan) with feedback from your boss.

Step 5. Execute.

The key is to work toward incremental and constant improvement in your soft-skills.   Over time, you will find that you are being more effective at LeadingInHouse^sm.

This summary was prepared by Perry Cone and posted at www.leadinginhouse.com/ 

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