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Most Important Character Trait of A Successful Leader
'Commitment'
"It takes time and patience to develop leadership, but the strength of organizations comes from sound training, positive leadership and a commitment to something greater than self." Retired U.S. Army General William F. Kernan,
I have often picked up tidbits of training information from military sources or books, simply because they represent an organization that strives only for success, where failure is never an option. Most compelling in this statement for me is the idea of commitment. Training and positive leadership are elements that most would accept as necessary for building a successful organization. Commitment starts at 100% and is a way of thinking that has to be instilled or embedded into the successful leader and, by extension, the successful organization.
Consider for a moment, some of the greatest business leaders such as JP Morgan 90 years ago to G.E.’s Jack Welch and current Virgin chairman Sir Richard Branson. What could possess them to continue for as long as they did, after they seemingly achieved every possible goal? What possesses the most successful people to continue to wake up at 5 a.m. everyday, to begin a self inflicted grueling routine of physical and emotional stress? The answer may have something to do with the notion of commitment; commitment to self, to family and to business. These are the 3 pillars of commitment that I believe are key components to successful leadership.
Self This is the most important area where commitment needs to be embedded. This is where all other forms of commitment find their source of strength. This is not simply a New Years resolution, where you wish for change and try to accomplish it over the next 30 days. Commitment to one’s self involves setting priorities and expectations for yourself and maintaining them. Ask yourself what kind of a person do you want to be known for? Do you keep your promises to yourself?
Family Most of us would state vehemently that we are committed to our family’s 100%. There is no room for wavering on this point and if this is the case, bravo. Ask yourself this: Have you ever interrupted, cancelled or postponed a family event to take a phone call, help a friend or deal with a work related matter? I’ll be the first to confess that I have done this in the name of work and figured that my family would understand. The reality is that they don’t have to understand. By not honoring a commitment made to them we are eroding the very skills that we need for successful leadership. To show you the power of commitment, consider posing the following statement to your spouse “I am 99.9% committed to you”. Do you think that would fly? Or would you be sleeping on the sofa?
Professional Professional commitment is a culmination of the characteristic traits developed through self and family commitment. It is an extension of your person into the environment that you work within. This is where your passionate commitment to the success of your organization becomes the catalyst for motivating your employees and co-workers to perform at even higher levels. This is where your ethical commitment to your employees will ensure that you treat each of them with the highest respect and consideration. In short, professional commitment is not only your commitment to the business, product or ideals, but also how you embark upon running the business, how you make or sell that product and how you treat you clients and employees.
Commitment may be an intangible quality, but without a doubt, it is one of the most important aspects of a successful leader. What is even more apparent is that commitment starts with the smallest items that we do in our daily life. It is these small items that shape our character and makes the even bigger items have that much more impact. Next time you take on a task or set a goal, ask your self if this is another New Years resolution, or is this something that I really want to work towards.
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