As an executive coach, I am often asked, in several different ways "What is the secret to strong leadership?"  But in 2010, this question really rose to the top of my mind for two reasons.  First, I was asked to write a series on leadership for the American Management Association.  Second, I was privileged to be the speaker at the New Jersey Society of CPA's Annual Convention for a special leadership session of over 111 (as CPA's, they are exact) CFO's, audit firm partners and attorneys.

So to say the least, the pressure was on.  Three articles and 15 Power Point slides later, I derived a set of ten core leadership principles to energize your team, clients and colleagues.  But, here is the message I'd most like to share today, introduced with a simple, yet striking quote:

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
John F. Kennedy

Some of us were born to lead.  All of us were born to learn.  You can learn to become the leader you aspire to be. 

Great boxers might be counterpunchers who can quickly and powerfully respond to their opponents or “throw the first punch” type advancers. But pound for pound, the greatest world champions master both styles and switch between them. In the June 1980 “Brawl in Montreal,” Sugar Ray Leonard lost to Roberto Duran because Duran attacked fast and furiously. However, in the November rematch in New Orleans, after five months of intensive training, Leonard counterpunched to the point where Duran famously gave up, saying “No más, no más.” Later, in the 1986 “Superfight” in Las Vegas, Sugar Ray Leonard beat Marvelous Marvin Hagler by decision thanks to his acquired counterpunching prowess.

As a leader, you too can learn to “roll with the punches”:

• Adapt your leadership style according to individual personalities and evolving circumstances.
  Leadership is sometimes in the eye of the beholder. What one employee considers interfering, another regards as welcomed attention from the boss. Leaders come in many shapes and forms - so do followers. Look at both yourself and your team members with a practical, non-idealized perspective. Save your rose-colored glasses for your personal relationships.
  
  You may micromanage some, MBWA (Management By Walking Around) some, and MBO (Management By Objectives) others, as long as your motivations for flexibility are clear to all. Adroit leaders adjust flexibly to new events such as regulations, layoffs, industry mergers, clinical trial results, or unexpected market research findings.
  
• Reflect on your own leadership style and practices.
  What do you do best? Is it time to change an old habit? What is the longest you can go without checking in with your direct reports? Between scheduled meetings, calls or status updates, who calls or e-mails first? Challenge yourself to set leadership objectives for the upcoming three months. Schedule a meeting with yourself or a coach to take an honest look back and determine how you can best move ahead.
  
• Solicit suggestions about increasing your own impact.
  Meet with your team and simply ask, “How could I free up 20% of my time?” The answers may be valuable, or not. But chances are, you will gain some innovative ideas for redirecting your energy towards exceeding objectives rather than worrying about them.

Becoming a great leader is an evolving process.  In the words of a football coaching legend:

“Leaders are not born. They are made. They are made just like anything else…through hard work. That's the price we have to pay to achieve that goal or any goal.”
Vince Lombardi

There will certainly be challenges along the way, but the rewards - for both you and your team - can be profound.   If you'd like to read more, please contact me or read Amp-Up Your Leadership: Power Up Your Team.