the leader's compass- a personal leadership philosophy is your key to success

The Leader’s Compass A Personal Leadership Philosophy

is Your Key to Success

Steve Alltop, PMP

Academy Leadership

“PMI” is a registered trade and service mark of the Project Management Institute, Inc.

©2010Permission is granted to PMI for PMI® Marketplace use only

The Problem

85

550

42

Presentation Title



85%

Consider that of all projects that end in failure…

… 85% of them can be attributed to Leadership failures.

66% of Companies Say Leadership Skills are Most Important for PM Success

Source: PMI’s Pulse of the Profession In-Depth

Report: Talent Management, March 2013 Source: PMI’s Pulse of the Profession In-Depth Report:

Navigating Complexity, September 2013

Most Important Skills to Successfully Manage Highly Complex Projects



$550 Billion

Gallup estimate: active disengagement by workers

costs the U.S. economy $450 to $550 Billion per year

Source: State Of The American Workplace, Gallup 2013

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AMONG THE U.S. WORKING POPULATION

© Academy Leadership, LLC 2014

Managers vs. Leaders

“Managers are people who do things right and leaders

are people who do the right thing”

–Warren Bennis

“The role of the project manager is rapidly changing to

the role of business LEADER. That's good news if

you are ready.”

–Mark Langley, CEP PMI


Authority and Leadership

“True Leadership has nothing to do with one’s level in

the organization.”

“The key to successful leadership today is influence, not

authority.”

-Ken Blanchard


Best Leader Characteristics

• Integrity

• Fair

• Optimistic

• Self-confident

• Effective Listener

• Sets Clear Goals

• Good Communicator

• A Teacher

• Competent

• Compassionate

• Genuine

• Sense of Humor

• Encouraged

Feedback

• Set Good Example

• Respectful

• High Standards

• Praised in Public

• Reprimanded in

Private

• Supported his

People

• Delivered on

Promises

• Incisive

• Loyal

• Forthright

• Had a Vision

• Morally Strong

• Had Fun

• Trust

• Credibility


Worst Leader Characteristics

• Self-centered

• Used Fear

Motivation

• Berated People in

Public

• Inconsistent

Behavior

• Lacked Personal

Integrity

• Poor

Communicator

• Sought

Confrontation

• Workaholic

• Lied

• Set Poor Example

• Backstabber

• Indecisive

• Phony

• Lacked Curiosity

• Insecure

• Micro-manager

• Never Listened

• Caustic

• Takes Credit for

Other’s Work

• Doesn’t Trust

People

• Moody and

Capricious


Expectations of Leaders

• Honest, just and fair treatment

• Consideration as mature, professional workers

• Climate of trust and confidence

• Acceptance of errors as opportunities for learning

• Personal interest in them as individuals

• Loyalty


Expectations of Leaders

• Shielding from harassment from higher levels

• Anticipating and meeting “their” needs

• Being told the purpose of tasks

• Clear, positive and consistent decisions and

guidance

• Demands consistent with their capabilities – not too

small or too great

• Public recognition for good work


Defining Leadership

What do YOU think it is?

Leadership is the process of…


Leadership Our Definition

The process of modeling personal values while

influencing and energizing people to embrace

change, by providing…

• Purpose

• Vision

• Direction

• Motivation

While operating to accomplish the mission (Goals) and

improving the organization.


Modeling Personal Values

• What are your core values?

• How do you model them?

• What behaviors demonstrate these values?

A value in action is virtue.


Energizing People

• Energy is the fundamental currency of high

performance.

• Managing energy, not time, is the key.

• Full engagement requires drawing on four separate but

related dimensions of energy: physical, emotional,

mental and spiritual.

“The world will belong to passionate, driven leaders–people

who not only have enormous amounts of energy, but who

can energize those whom they lead” -Jack Welch


How Do You Demonstrate These

11 Leadership Principles?

1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement.

2. Know your people and look out for their welfare.

3. Be technically proficient.

4. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your

actions.

5. Set the example.

6. Keep your people informed.


How Do You Demonstrate These

11 Leadership Principles?

7. Ensure tasks are understood, supervised and

accomplished.

8. Develop a sense of responsibility among your

people.

9. Train your people as a team.

10.Make sound and timely decisions.

11.Employ your work unit in accordance with its

capabilities.


Hi, I’m your new leader.

What do you want to know about me?


Research by Kouzes & Posner

People want to know…

• Who are you?

• What do you stand for and believe in?

• Where do you want to take us?

• Why you?

• What qualifies you for this job?

• What makes you think you can do this?

• What changes are you planning to make?


The Leader’s Compass

A coherent leadership philosophy guides actions that

are consistent with a set of values and principles and

results in predictable behavior – two characteristics

that followers expect from their leaders.

Consistency and Predictability create two important by-

products… Credibility and Trust


Become a Philosopher?

Establishing your Leader’s Compass does not mean that

you are expected to become a philosopher, but it does

mean determining…

• Who you are

• What you value

• What your priorities are

• What you will stand for

• What you will not stand for

…and making sure everyone knows and understands this.


The Leader’s Compass is reflected

in a leader’s followers

If you want your followers to act in a certain way, you

had better be able to communicate it to them by setting

the example and living your life that way.


Benefits

• Provides insight on the leader – for the leader and

the followers

• Identifies critical values and beliefs

• Eliminates second guessing by your people

• Increased focus for self and others

• Helps establish a positive organizational climate

• Foundation for trust and confidence


Things You Should Include

• What Leadership Means to Me – Description of what

leadership means to you

• Personal Values – what you believe in; such as honesty,

commitment, respect for others

• Operating Principles – description of how you will carry out

your responsibilities

• Non-negotiables – what you will demand and what you will not

tolerate

• Priorities – what’s important, and in what order

• Personal Idiosyncrasies – your peculiar likes or “pet peeves”

• Commitment – your willingness for feedback


More Than Just a Document

• Greater Self-Knowledge

• Greater Self-Confidence

• Greater Personal Energy


What to do with

Your Leader’s Compass?

• Publish it – share it with your people.

• Discuss it – engage your people in a dialogue about it.

• Live it! – With Passion!

• Get Feedback – How are you doing?


My Personal Leadership Philosophy


When You Write and Follow Your

Leader’s Compass

• You will be a more effective leader and have less

stress.

• You will energize your people and set them free.

• Your people will admire you for being authentic.

• You will be on course for Leadership Success.


Contact Information

Steve Alltop, PMP

Email: [email protected]

On the web: www.academyleadership.com/alltop

www.linkedin.com/in/salltop/

@AllTopSolutions

Academy Leadership: www.academyleadership.com

the leader's compass- a personal leadership philosophy is your key to success

Leadership & Management