What Makes a Leader?

Based on “What Makes a Leader? By Daniel Goldman, HBR, Nov./Dec., 1998

 Familiar Stories
•• 2.
2.Someone
Someonewith withsolid
solid––but
butnot
not
extraordinary––intellectual
extraordinary intellectual
abilitiesand
abilities andtechnical
technicalskills
skills
whowas
who waspromoted
promotedintointoaa
similarposition
similar positionand
andsoared.
soared.

•• 1.
1. Highly
Highlyintelligent,
intelligent,highly
highly
skilledmanager
skilled managerwho whowas was
promotedinto
promoted intoaaleadership
leadership
position,only
position, onlytotofail.
fail.
 • Identifying individuals with
the “right stuff” is more art
than science.

• Personal styles of leaders

vary – some are subdued
and analytical; others shout
from the mountaintops

• Different situations call

for different types of
leadership.
 The Most Effective Leaders
• Has a high degree of Emotional
Intelligence (EI)
• IQ and technical skills are not irrelevant;
they are “threshold capabilities”, i.e.,
entry level requirements.
• But EI is sine qua non of leadership.
• When the ratio of technical
skills, IQ and EI as ingredients
of excellent performance were
calculated, EI is twice as
important as the others for jobs
at all levels.
• The higher the rank of a person
considered to be a star
performer, the more the EI
capabilities showed up as the
reason for his or her
effectiveness.
 EI at Work
SKILLS
SELF MANAGING
MANAGEMENT RELATIONSHIPS
Self-Awareness Empathy
EI Self Regulation Social Skills
COMPONENTS
Motivation
 The Five Components of EI at Work

Components Definition Hall marks

Self- The ability to recognize and understand your moods, Self-confidence

Awareness emotions, and drives, as well as their effect on Realistic self-assessment
others
Self-deprecating sense of humour
Self- The ability to control or redirect disruptive impulses Trustworthiness and integrity
Regulation and moods Comfort with ambiguity
The propensity to suspend judgment – to think Openness to change
before acting
Motivation A passion to work for reasons that go beyond money Strong drive to achieve
or status Optimism, even in the face of failure
A propensity to pursue goals with energy and Organizational commitment
persistence
Empathy The ability to understand the emotional makeup of Expertise in building and retaining
other people talent
Skill in treating people according to their emotional Cross-cultural sensitivity
reactions Service to clients and customers
Social Skill Proficiency in managing relationships and building Effectiveness in leading change
networks Persuasiveness
An ability to find common ground and build rapport Expertise in building and leading
teams
 Self-Awareness

• “Know Thyself”
• A deep understanding of
one’s emotions, strengths,
weaknesses, and drives
• Extend to an understanding
of one’s values and goals.
• Display candor and an ability • Self-deprecating sense of
to assess oneself humour
realistically. • Know and comfortable
• Able to speak accurately and talking about their limitations
openly – although not and strengths
necessarily effusively or
confessionally • Self-confidence with a firm
grasp of their capabilities
• Know when to ask for help
 Self-Regulation

• An on-going inner
conversation
• Control of their feelings and
impulses and create an
environment of trust and
fairness.
• Calm without rushing in
hasty judgement
• Has a trickle-down effect, no • Able to roll with the changes,
one wants to be j=known as and even lead the way.
a hothead when the boss is • Enhances integrity
known for a calm approach.
• Ability to say no to impulsive
surges
 Motivation
• “Driven to achieve beyond
expectations – their own and
others”
• The key word is achieve
• Possess a deeply embedded
desire to achieve for the
sake of achievement
• Passion for work itself
• Unflagging energy to do
things better
• Forever raising the performance
bar
• Remains optimistic even when the
score is against them
• Committed to the organization
 Empathy
• Does not mean a kind of
“I’m okay, you’re okay”
mushiness
• Does not mean trying to
please everyone
• Thoughtful consideration of
other’s feelings in the
process of making decisions
• Very important in leading a • Do more than sympathize
team with people around them;
they use their knowledge to
improve their organizations
in subtle but important ways.
 Social Skills

• Friendliness with a purpose:

moving people in the
direction you desire
• Have a knack for finding
common ground with people
of all kinds
• Culmination of the other
dimensions of EI • “No leader is an island”
• Adept at managing teams • The leader’s task is to get
• Expert persuaders work done through other
people , and social skills
makes that possible.
 EI can be learned
• There is a genetic component to EI
and nurture plays a role as well.
• EI increases with age, i.e., maturity
• EI is born largely in the neuro-
transmitters of the brain’s limbic
system, which governs feelings,
impulses and drives.
• The limbic system learns best
through motivation, extended
practice and feedback.
• Learning through neocortex which
governs analytical and technical
abilities involves grasps concepts
and logic.
• It is part of the brain that figures
out, for e.g., how to use a computer
or make a sales call by reading a
book.
• Many training programmes
on EI mistakenly focuses on
the neocortex, rather than the
limbic system.
• Training through the limbic
system takes more time and
require an individualized
approach.
• Building EI cannot – will not –
happen without sincere
desire and concerted effort.
• But it can be done.
• “Nothing great was ever
achieved without
enthusiasm”. Ralph Waldo
Emerson
 EI

from “nice to have”

to “need to have”