Elsmar Cove Forums Index - Improving the Quality of Leadership

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Improving the Quality of Leadership
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Posted by: ccochran

Howdy, all:

I've been thinking about leadership a lot lately: what is it, who can practice it, how it can be improved. The results of my thinking are captured in the attached article. I'd enjoy hearing your feedback, positive or negative, on the piece.

Talk to you soon,
Craig

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Craig Cochran
Center for International Standards and Quality
Georgia Institute of Technology
craig.cochran@edi.gatech.edu

Posted by: Al Dyer

Very good,

Thanks for your article!

Al...

Posted by: deuce

Very well done. Thanks!

Posted by: Rob Nix

Craig,

Very, Very well done!! I wanted to take my time and read it thoroughly, so it has taken a couple of days. I'm glad I did.

Posted by: The Taz!

Excellent. . .

Posted by: ccochran

Al, Deuce, Rob, and Taz:

I'm humbled by your gracious feedback. You're very kind. I had been feeling down about my writing recently (the way everybody gets down occasionally for no good reason), but now I feel a little better. Thank you.

Craig

Posted by: mshell

Good article. I know a few leaders from my last company that should have used the leadership tools described in your article. In fact, their lack of leadership ability has recently cost them their job.

Posted by: Craig H.

An article on leadership? I expected a lot of "fluff". It is not here.

I especially liked the sections explaining where the results of a lack of certain traits (humility, for example) causes problems. Food for thought.

Thanks, Craig C.

Craig H.

Posted by: ccochran

Mshell,

You mean a leader actually got fired for lack of leadership? That's terrific (...though sometimes rare). Thanks for your kind words about the article.

Craig,

Yep, there's lots of fluff in the leadership field. I'm glad this piece didn't have too much of the fluff factor. I was trying to keep it low, anyway. Thanks for your support.

Very best regards,
CC

Posted by: mshell

One reason I left the company is because of the lack of good leadership. I firmly believe that you lead by example and that was a rare trait in my co-workers. In the past 2 weeks the company has terminated 3 manages and one VP. I suspect that more will follow (I know of at least 2 that should be released from duty). If that had occured while I was there, I might have stayed.

Posted by: Jim Howe

As an old Navy man Leadership has always been a topic I hold near and dear. We had a "Chief" who was a natural and as I recall he possessed most of what you have written. We see leadership displayed today with the recounting of President Reagans years. Sometimes they stand alone. Great article!
Thanks
Jim

Posted by: ccochran

Hello, friends:

Wes Bucey was kind enough to offer his editing services to me. He made quite a few suggestions that improved the grammar and logic of the text. The revised article is attached.

Wes-- Thanks for taking the time to assist me!

Craig

Posted by: Jim Howe

I think it flows a little better the second time around. Yeasr ago i was introduced to Leadership training through a course put together by the late Oliver Wendel Holmes. I don't recall a whole lot of what he said or how it would relate to your excellent article but i do remember this one thing. The course pushed something called "Commanding Respect"! Would care to comment on just how one commands respect or if we become proficent in your 4-C's will that command respect? Can you shed some insight on this concept? i wish I could remember more but as they say at the end of the cartoons "thats all folks"!
Thanks
Jim

Posted by: mshell

IMHO If you achieve the 4 C's as defined in the article, you will EARN respect.

Posted by: Sidney Vianna

Some 3 years ago, I received this Powerpoint presentation concerning leadership. I think this is a great piece.

Posted by: engjane

I havent got very far in the reading of it yet but I think that it will be a great confidence booster for me.
In the past few years Ive dropped away from the idea of leading a group of people as the pressures have not attracted me.
However, from the few paragraphs Ive read so far, Im already feeling enthused and as if I have some of the skills that will allow me to lead people without the struggles I have had and imagine I would have.

Thanks for sharing this with us...

Jane

Posted by: Bill Pflanz

I just got done reading Powell's leadership views. Absolutely great.

Thanks for sharing it. It has been a horrible week for me and it is refreshing to read how an organization should be run. If only....

Bill Pflanz

Posted by: Jim Howe

What a great post!

I will download for further study. I am positive I can use it in some of my training sessions. It reminded me a little bit of "You Win with People" by Woody Hayes!
Thanks again!
Jim

Posted by: Jim Howe

Quote:

Originally Posted by mshell

IMHO If you achieve the 4 C's as defined in the article, you will EARN respect.

I am not totally convinced that respect is "EARNED" or am I confusing "Respect " with "Fear". Was General Patton respected by his men or feared by them. What about Accomplishments? Do we respect John Glenn for achieving the 4 c's or do we simply admire his accomplishments? Where is the line drawn between respect, fear and awe? I don't know! But I believe the surface has only been scratched when it comes to discussing leadership. Perhaps it would be helpful if the article could be expanded to include some case studies of the attributes possessed by some of our great leaders. Any one up to the challenge?

Jim

Posted by: enoch_c

Good article, Thank you

Posted by: Charmed

Dear Craig:

I enjoyed reading the article. There are many important characteristics that you have touched upon. One that we must all remember, which I found early in the article, is that often leadership also includes clear and critical analysis of facts, data, information, that depends only on brainpower, not on any particular social skills. There is too much emphasis on the "personality" and "congeniality" traits of leaders, without an adequate recognition of this aspect of leadership.

Posted by: ccochran

Friends,

Here's the permanent resting place of the Leadership article, as it was published in Quality Digest:
http://www.qualitydigest.com/oct04/a..._article.shtml
Thanks for all your assistance and feedback on the piece.

Craig