What is Leadership?

 

Leadership can be broadly divided into two intertwined elements: Professional Leadership and Personal Leadership.

For coaching purposes, Professional Leadership involves the responsibility for key actions and behaviors that enhance business success, while Personal Leadership involves the key personal considerations, qualities and requirements that support the individual leader’s ability to find fulfillment in their work and in their lives beyond their work.

 

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What is Leadership in the 21st Century?

 

In the 1900s, leaders directed and followers executed.

 

And, for the time, this leadership style worked—on a Ford or U.S. Steel assembly line, a worker knew his/her role and did it repetitively without question. It worked for the intended purpose—manufacturing production and economic prosperity.

 

In war, the military/hero leader arose. Generals Patton, Eisenhower, and MacArthur directed and soldiers executed. It worked for the intended purpose—military defense and offense for the sake of the free world.

 

The current challenge is that many of today’s companies still model leadership after these leader archetypes, even though the circumstances are radically different.

 

Today’s leader is expected to seamlessly navigate both professional leadership dynamics and challenges, as well as personal leadership dynamics and challenges. As a result, many leaders struggle because they see professional leadership and personal leadership as separate and unrelated.

 

Today’s leader is also expected to integrate 21st Century essential skills, develop and implement new strategies to see greater possibilities, think strategically, act boldly, lead effectively, embrace change, navigate interpersonal dynamics, create efficiency and sustainability, and increase impact—and results—with ease.

 

What the 21st Century demands is a LeaderShift—an evolved method of leadership to consider the needs of the whole organization AND the needs of its individual. The 21st Century is demanding the rise of authentic leaders.

 

 

Authentic Leadership

 

In the face of the 21st Century’s unprecedented changes, it will take unprecedented courage for Authentic Leaders to arise. Because Authentic leaders live in the world of “and”, not “or.” They take care of business AND they take care of their people—no sacrificing one for the other.

 

Authentic Leaders are held—and hold themselves—to a higher standard, but receive the support they need to thrive because they create partners instead of subordinates, collaboration instead of resistance, and pulling-together instead of fractious breakdown. Authentic leadership becomes the catalyst for coming together under pressures, instead of falling apart.

 

And, the key to Authentic Leadership is expanding your Leadership Intelligence (LQ).

 

 

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What is Leadership Intelligence (LQ)?

 

Like its more familiar cousins Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and Emotional Intelligence (EQ), Leadership Intelligence (LQ) is the assessment of each individual’s ability to effectively lead themselves and others in a wholistic manner.

 

Popularized by Dr. Stephen Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, LQ is a function of four essential, interconnected elements (what Covey calls “The Four Essential Roles of Leadership”):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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(Source: FranklinCovey Company)

 

 

These four elements are particularly sequenced to not only create results, but to do so in ways that are sustainable, empowering (of all involved) and rewarding.

 

APEX Executive SOLUTIONS's Leadership Development Program will guide you step-by-step in expanding your LQ and becoming a great 21st Century leader!