Beyond Titles: What Makes a “Complete Leader”
Have you ever found yourself under the command of a leader who required unwavering loyalty? Chances are, you didn’t give it to them (at least not deep down). Leaders like this are leading from position, not from influence. They mistake their titles for the keys to praise and respect, only to be met with lukewarm responses from their teams.
As John Maxwell wisely noted, "He who thinks he leads but has no followers, is only taking a walk." Real influence lies in becoming a "complete leader," someone who transcends the fake authority of a job title and embodies a rare combination of three transformative qualities.
Compelling Vision: A dream with an invitation
Executive Presence: Behaviors that inspire trust
Time-Tested Character: Unimpeachable credibility
In this article, we embark on a journey to unlock the secrets to complete leadership and discover the remarkable impact it can have on organizations and individuals alike.
Compelling Vision
A compelling vision is an idea so big that people will abandon their comfort zones, forsake security, and sacrifice personal desires to follow it. It’s the type of vision that…
...inspired a generation when JFK said “I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.”
...turned heads when a young Bill Gates set a goal of “a computer on every desk and in every home.”
...Steve Jobs used to lure Pepsi executive John Sculley to Apple: “Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to come with me and change the world?”
Visions like these seem implausible at first, but they are the driving force that galvanizes people to unite under a common goal. But here is the key. The vision also includes an invitation for others to join in the pursuit of that dream, making it not just the leader's aspiration but a collective one.
Executive Presence
Executive Presence is the ability to inspire trust in others. It is the “it” factor that causes others to say, “Yes, that’s the leader I want to follow.” This quality is all about what is on the outside—how others experience you, whether or not you are aware of it. Executive Presence includes six elements:
Articulate Communication: Articulate communicators have collected, organized thoughts, and they can put them into words. When called on to speak, they almost always have something to say, even if it is “I don’t know.”
High Self-Awareness: You know about your blind spots, and you are doing something about it. You invite negative feedback from others you trust, and they speak freely into your weaknesses.
Selfless Listening: You don’t listen to respond, but to understand. People know to expect this when they come to you. They can’t help but enjoy talking with you, because the conversation is focused on them, not just you.
Charitability: You issue remarkably generous storylines about people, even when they don’t deserve it.
Consistency: Your energy and interactions with others are roughly the same each day. You don’t dump emotional highs or lows on team members.
Contextualized Appearance: Your look, style, hygiene, and modesty are appropriate for the context of where you are leading or presenting. The leader of a surf company in California will dress differently than the leader of a private investment firm in New York.
Time-Tested Character
If executive presence is about what is on the outside, time-tested character is all about what is on the inside. It takes the longest to build, is impossible to fake over time, and has the greatest potential to tank your influence overnight, as if it never existed. Warren Buffett says it this way: ““It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.
Time-Tested Character can be described as “Unimpeachable Credibility.” Unimpeachable means that one's character is unable to be criticized, because any accusation won’t stand up to one’s good name or track record. Unimpeachable credibility is earned over time by consistently living out integrity and intent. Integrity means there is no gap between what a leader says and what they do; it encompasses honesty, authenticity, and a willingness to do what is right, even when it's challenging. Intent, on the other hand, reveals a leader's agenda, and leaders with healthy intent live by the motto, “I mean you no harm, and I seek your greatest good.” They genuinely care for others and seek their well-being.
Leaders can succeed in the short term without character, but in the long run, it will come back to haunt them. Time-tested character is the secret ingredient that empowers complete leaders to finish well, maintaining their influence and impact over time.
Conclusion
The mark of a complete leader is not solely determined by their title or position. Rather, it is the combination of a compelling vision, executive presence, and time-tested character that transforms us into the kind of leaders who leave a lasting impact on the lives of others. Let us aspire to be complete leaders. No matter what our title might be.