Crises test leaders. We all know this, and the new normal created by COVID-19 is proving that maxim every day. The news is full of examples of leadership greatness and leadership failures. Like many, I found myself getting sucked into the emotional swamp of the endless failures and disappointments. My wife, Laurie, encouraged me to find and celebrate the great leaders and leadership we have observed over the past few months. She inspired me to consciously change my focus and create a list of the COVID ‘If–’ Sixteen leaders. An ‘If–’ Sixteen Refresher: The concept of the ‘If–’ Sixteen comes from my book, If You Will Lead: Enduring Wisdom for 21st-Century Leaders(Agate B2, 2011). Based on Rudyard Kipling’s poem ‘If—’, the book identifies an essential leadership attribute associated with each of the poem’s sixteen couplets. Together, the ‘If–’ Sixteen define a path we may choose to follow to become better leaders. By incorporating the concept of “awareness and choice,” they form a comprehensive leadership structure that is timeless. The original ‘If–’ Sixteen are some of history’s greatest leaders, including giants like George Washington, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Mother Theresa. I picked the original ‘If–’ Sixteen leaders because they led in ways that exemplified these leadership attributes described in the poem: Character – The Wisdom to Know and Trust Yourself Authenticity – The Resolve Always to Be Yourself Integrity – The Wisdom to Know the Truth and the Strength to Defend It Self-Efficacy – The Confidence to Gain from Triumph and Disaster Ambition – The Will to Make the World What You Want It to Be Vision – The Power of Having and Sharing a Dream Boldness – The Ability to See and Seize Opportunities Resilience – The Ability to Bounce Back from Adversity Inspiration – The Ability to Connect with and Motivate Friends & Foes Courage – The Ability to Face the Dangers When They Become Real Selflessness – The Ability to Put Your Cause and Beliefs Ahead of Yourself Stamina – The Will and Energy to Hold On Composure – The Power to Keep Your Head Patience – The Strength and Will to Endure and Wait Enthusiasm – The Energy to Fill Every Minute Accountability – The Will to Take Ownership Regardless of the Outcome As a lover of history, I largely chose historical figures who represented these leadership attributes. Only James and Louise Mulligan – whose stamina carried them through his seven-year internment as a North Vietnamese POW – are still living. I began considering which present-day leaders would comprise a modern ‘If–’ Sixteen. COVID ‘IF–’ SIXTEEN LEADERS I started compiling the COVID ‘If–’ Sixteen by prowling the internet for stories of leaders who have risen to the COVID challenge. Some names jumped up and screamed at me. Consider the boldness of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern as she moved aggressively to seal New Zealand’s border while many world leaders dithered about how to respond. Or think about the integrity of Dr. Anthony Fauci as he defended the truth about how best to combat COVID-19 despite those who wished to ignore or silence him. Other leaders have shown a wide range of attributes. This crisis has also demanded more of some attributes than others. For example, I have been awed by the number of stories about leadership boldness and courage. So, this process of choosing a COVID ‘If–’ Sixteen will be hard, and it will be dynamic. Here’s the good news. In my first two hours of searching, I identified forty-seven worthy leaders for the sixteen slots. In the past weeks, I have found dozens more. With so many great leaders out there – and many of them not showing up on an internet search – I plan to make this an interactive process. I will provide the description of each of the ‘If–’ Sixteen attributes and the leader who held the spot on my original list. I will identify one current leader who could represent each attribute. The rest is up to you. I will invite readers to identify other leaders who exemplify the leadership attribute for them. Hopefully, we will end up with dozens of examples of leaders who inspire us to lead as they do. If it works the way I hope, this process will introduce us to new leaders and expose us to new aspects of well-known leaders. As you consider this list, be mindful not to limit yourself to leaders you like or whose beliefs align with your own. Don’t be offended if I write about someone you believe to be mistaken or wrong. While writing If You Will Lead, I learned more from the leaders with whom I disagreed than those with whom I was closely aligned. I know that all of the original ‘If–’ Sixteen leaders have baggage – they were human with all its imperfections. The COVID ‘If–’ Sixteen leaders will also have their own flaws. Be willing to accept those flaws and learn from every leader and every story. Stay open and be curious, so that you can learn from each leader and become a stronger leader in your own right. So here we go! ‘If–’ Sixteen Leadership Attribute #1: Character – The Wisdom to Know and Trust YourselfRonald Reagan holds this spot on my original list because of his willingness and ability to lead in a way that demonstrated who he was. His leadership was deeply rooted in his values, beliefs, and principles. For the COVID ‘If–’ Sixteen, I chose Chancellor Angela Merkel to represent character, because her leadership (especially during the COVID-19 crisis) has demonstrated her core values and beliefs. In my next post, I will further explain why I chose Chancellor Merkel and how her character-driven leadership has served her people. In the meantime, who do you think is leading with character? Tell us why you chose them and how their leadership has benefited others. Don’t limit yourself to well-known leaders. Use this as an opportunity to highlight some unsung heroes and quiet leaders.
At the movies and on television, we all love heroes. As chaos reigns, the hero swoops in to save the day and restore order. Their heroics make for great entertainment, but heroics are lousy business. Any leader worth the name knows that heroics are bad news in the real world. The appearance of a hero always means that something has gone wrong. The degree of the heroics is often in direct proposition to the mess needing to be cleaned up. While we celebrate the work (and often the courage) of heroes, we know that their actions shouldn’t have been necessary.
So what? That’s the question I’ve heard this week from several of my executive coaching clients when we spoke about Diana Nyad’s swim from Cuba to Key West. She became the first person to do the swim (a distance of over 100 miles through shark infested waters) without the protection of a shark cage. To be frank, my first reaction was similar. “So what?“ With all that is happening in the world, chemical weapons in Syria, wildfires in the west, relations with Russia reminiscent of the Cold War, why should anyone care? That is what the cynic sitting on my shoulder was saying.
What do Scottish kilts, machine gun ammunition, cement mixers, graves, and Queen Elizabeth II’s wedding dress all have in common? They are all purported to be tied to the origins of the expression “the whole nine yards.” I have heard and read emphatic declarations that the real origin is . . . you fill in the blank. According to the New York Times, which ran a story on this topic on December 26, there is no clear answer. (I guess it was a slow news day.) They went on to quote language expert Ben Zimmer, “The phrase is interesting because it’s so mysterious.” Whatever its origin, most people who are fluent in English know what it means. Since its meaning is clear and its origin is so muddled, it is probably a safe.
Every year in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, I read Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech. It always moves me and forces me to think about life and leadership in a new way. Earlier today as I finished reading it, I began to contemplate my dreams for my life and career. Things have changed so much for me in the past five years, and so have my dreams. Having transformed myself from a corporate executive to an entrepreneur, I dream about how to better serve my clients and grow my business. As an executive coach, writer and speaker, I dream about changing the way people think about leadership. As the father of teenagers, I have begun to dream about my children as adults. These are some of my dreams. They are tightly coupled with my values and principles, and they serve me well. They help me keep my eye on the ball, but how well do they serve those I lead?