I highly recommend Steve Covey’s book, Principle-Centered Leadership. This is not a “quick fix” approach to life or leadership, but rather a guide for real character and skill development that is grounded in natural laws and governing principles that, when we are in tune with them, give us the strength to break free of our pasts, to lose our needs for old habits and to change our paradigms (worldviews and ways of being in the world) to achieve primary greatness and interpersonal effectiveness.
Covey assures us that similar to the Law of Gravity, being unaware of Principle-Centered Leadership does not keep you from feeling the consequences! The quote “Give a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach him to fish and feed him for a lifetime” is prominently displayed on the cover because it is the prominent theme in the book. Good fisherman learn from years of experience, similarly, good leadership comes from years of experience with principle-centered living and leadership.
Covey gives you the map for becoming a Principle-Centered leader and how you can use those leadership qualities to effectively manage not only the people in your organization, but in your life.
Principle-centered leadership is created when the values of the leader and follower overlap. People want to follow the leader because of who or what he is not out of fear or coercion…the Leader models and values the the right thing and that is why the followers want to follow.
Chapter 1 “8 Characteristics of Princple-Centered Leaders”
· Realize the more they know, the more they don’t know Principle-centered leaders are constantly seeking education and training. They not only read and take classes, but want to learn from others and use their eyes as well as their ears.
· Are Service Oriented and see life as a mission They have a sense of responsibility and are motivated to action.
· Radiate positive energy and are cheerful, pleasant and happy Like attract like so they pull other positive energies to them and often neutralize negative energy or side-step it altogether. They are enthusiastic, hopeful and believing in themselves and others. They don’t want drama, but instead try to bring peace. Having a clear understanding of this positive energy can be a powerful tool not only in managing people, but in managing life.
· Because they believe in other people, they don’t overact to negativity, criticism or the frailty of humanity They are clearly aware of weakness, but they make a distinction between behaviors and potential. Because they don’t label, stereotype, or engage in prejudice they can have expectations without being naïve.
· Lead balanced lives Principle-centered leaders don’t see everything as black or white, don’t overact or jump to conclusions. They are not afraid to accept responsibility and accept praise graciously. They live for the present, but plan for the future while having a full understanding that circumstances change and they need to be flexible.
· See life as an adventure! Because their security comes from within and is not dictated by external forces, they have initiative, resourcefulness, creativity, willpower, and a native intelligence at their disposal. They are not tied to their external comfort zones and home camps.
· They are synergistic because they see the whole is more than the sum of its parts They aren’t afraid of weakness, their own or others, so they staff and plan for weaknesses by building on strengths. Delegation comes easier to them because they believe in others so there is no need to micro-manage. They don’t fight over positions, but rather focus on the needs of everyone.
· They exercise for self-renewal. This includes not only the physical, but also the mental, emotional and spiritual. They exercise their mind by reading and other kinds of education. They enjoy problem solving to stay sharp. They exercise emotionally through self-reflection and awareness and by listening to others with genuine empathy. Spiritually, they exercise through meditation, prayer or reflection.
Covey tells us there are no shortcuts… you must have a deep character and personality strength and the only place to begin is within Yourself.
Chapter 9 “Principle –Centered Power”
While most discussions center around the theories of “great man”, “personality” and “behavioral” theories, real leadership comes from honorable character and the powerful tools of principles.
There are three types of power. Coercive power is grounded in fear. The leader fears he won’t get compliance if he doesn’t scare them into it…”big stick” approach. While it may seem to work in the short-term, it isn’t really effective because the fear dissipates when the leader or the controlling system is gone. Often times it will have the opposite effect because fear mobilizes followers resist. Utility Power is based on a sense of equity and fairness. Followers follow because it is seen as functional…it gives followers access to what the leader controls such as position, charisma or expertise. Usually it is a positive power, but still reactive in nature. Principle-centered leadership, while rare is the mark of quality, distinction, and excellence. There is mutual honor because the leaders honors the followers and the followers honor the leader and want to be a part of what is being created. It is highly sustainable because they the values of the leader and the followers overlap and are encompassed in a larger purpose. Control is apparent, but the control is not external, it is internal in the form of self-control. Principle-centered leaders are seen as honorable, trustworthy communicative and inspiring. They understand they don’t need to have all the answers and welcome the contribution of others to solve problems and come up with the answer….they also love to share the credit.
Chapter 10 “Clearing Communication Lines”
Covey explains that perception problems are the root of most communication problems. Each person sees the world from their unique perspective and assumes that is the “right” way of seeing without understanding that theirs is subjective perception and the other person is operating from their unique perceptive as well. In a nutshell, when you think and act as if YOU are right, anyone who doesn’t see it your way has to be labeled as WRONG! Covey says that that most credibility problems can be solved, resulting in an opening in the lines of communication, if as Principle-Centered Leaders we:
· Assume Good Faith-don’t question the other person’s sincerity or sanity.
· Let the other person know you care about the relationship and want to resolve the difference.
· Be open to positive influence and be prepared to change.
· Listen with the intention of learning and understanding.
· Speak to be understood.
· Use a common point to begin the conversation and connect and then move to area(s) of disagreement.
This is a comprehensive guide to becoming a Principle-Centered Leader, not only in business, but in Life. It clearly explains why it is important, lays out the groundwork for achieving it and creates visuals and stories to make the work interesting and doable. I give it a 5 Star rating not only for business, but for anyone interested in achieving better relationships, with yourself and others!
Hi Monique!
ReplyDeleteGreat blog! This sounds like a book I am sure you enjoyed! :o) To me, I instantly made a connection with this and our lessons from Strategic Leadership, especially those regarding being an authentic leader. This books seems to teach a similar lesson in that it seems to imply that one must have a strong connection with themselves on an emotional level along with having a strong emotional understanding of others.
One must possess positive qualities such as self-control, empathy, confidence, a sense of humor, and most importantly, the ability to remain open to learn! That makes so much sense as in the end, we want to follow people that are supportive, motivating, and making positive changes!
I really like the message this book is presenting in that teaches how to not only be a better leader, but a better person as they go hand in hand!
Shelley
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right...there were a lot of corollaries to the work with Strategic Leadership! I hate to keep harping on the same thing, Emotional Intelligence, but yes when you can successfully manage not only your own emotions to work for you instead of against you and be able to not only be comfortable with the emotions of others, but manage them as well, it really creates "space".
And in the end, we all are attracted to people who are authentic, supportive, who can laugh and are excited by learning and life.
You are right, I loved the book and think it should be on the "Must Read" list for anyone interested in leadership not only in their careers, but in their families and communities.
Thank you for the nice post.
Hi Monique,
ReplyDeleteYou did an excellent job summarizing this book. I love the quote about teaching a man to fish. In fact, I often quote it at work because we teach people how to become self-sufficient through education. I agree with your reasoning about this class being related to becoming a principle based leader. It sounds like a great book. I’m going to have to read it.
The characteristics of a leader listed by Covey are very similar to the ones listed in the book I read, Credibility. Some of the same characteristics are educate (learn), service to others, a cheerful and pleasant attitude, and lead a balance life and see things from different perspectives. Being a great communicator is essential to good leadership.
I agree with Shelley, having good principles is a must in a good leader.
Hi Monique,
ReplyDeleteGreat job! I learned a lot about leadership from reading your book review. There seems to be so much good stuff here! This book seems like something I could benefit by reading, but also seems like something I should suggest to all of the managers I work with or have ever worked with :) Obviously, no one is perfect, but I think that this book seems to offer a pretty solid solution in how to achieve a fairly perfect balance, and that it's key to understanding leadership as a lifelong learning process.
I think with all of the pressures of today's working environment, it is challenging to trust other people and let go of control. I often resort to the idea that if I want something done right, I have to do it myself. I think that Covey's book exposes how wrong I am for thinking this! Just because I think it is the right way of doing something, doesn't mean it is the only way of achieving a good outcome. [I am working on improving this :0)]
I also struggle with the concept of people's expectations. I am naturally sensitive to criticism and afraid of failure, so I often go out of my way to try to meet people's expectations, and as a result may feel miserable for doing so....at the same time, I have set unrealistic expectations for other people, which has resulted in a perpetuating vicious cycle. I think that the idea of focusing on potential, not on expectations, is a valuable principle. I am really intrigued by people's (and my own) behavior. It seems like you have a lot of valuable knowledge to share about the subject. I was wondering, if you have time, could you please clarify and/or provide examples from Covey's book or from other experiential knowledge how a center-principled leader was able to have expectations without being naïve?
Thank you for a very inspirational post!
I loved what chapter 10 said, being understanding and open minded. I thought that it really tapped into something unique. This is so important to have and understand because there are so many people that are closed minded about new ideas and if this is so then we cease to better our selves and improve our society as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI also connected with the more that you know is the more that you don't know. I thought this was interesting in regards to the book we are reading in our advances in IT and management. The statement that they use is Know what you don't Know. In the end though there is always going to be something that you don't know so it is important not to get cocky about it.
Great summary on your book I really enjoyed it and thought you did a wonderful job. Thanks
Hey Mo! You knocked it out of the park on this one. I’m sure this was an easy read for you considering your personality, as well as your field of endeavor. Reading chapter 1 “Characteristics of Principle-Centered Leaders”, made me drift backward to the Strategic Leadership II course. We briefly studied Nelson Mandela, and all of the qualities attributes and characteristics that Covey references are reflected in his leadership style. For example, when you summarize your author’s perspective on positive energy and its power to infect and spread to others; this is 1 of Nelson Mandela’s 8 steps to leadership. Not only does this radiate outward and lure people in, it effects perception. He said that appearances matter — and remember to smile.
ReplyDelete“When Mandela was running for the presidency in 1994, he knew that symbols mattered as much as substance. He was never a great public speaker, and people often tuned out what he was saying after the first few minutes. But it was the iconography that people understood. When he was on a platform, he would always do the toyi-toyi, the township dance that was an emblem of the struggle. But more important was that dazzling, beatific, all-inclusive smile. For white South Africans, the smile symbolized Mandela's lack of bitterness and suggested that he was sympathetic to them. To black voters, it said, I am the happy warrior, and we will triumph. The ubiquitous ANC election poster was simply his smiling face. "The smile," says Ramaphosa, "was the message."
After he emerged from prison, people would say, over and over, It is amazing that he is not bitter. There are a thousand things Nelson Mandela was bitter about, but he knew that more than anything else, he had to project the exact opposite emotion. He always said, "Forget the past" — but I knew he never did”
Great Blog!
Read more: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1821467,00.html#ixzz1QVA9GaQH
Hi Monique
ReplyDeleteGreat book blog, I would agree with you that this book sounds like something everyone should read. The leadership and connections to life person benefits are definitely beneficial. It sounds to be me that this book can more or less help build up social reasonability and confident within ones selves and I believe in order to have a leadership drive and capabilities confident is a must. The ideas of a clear communication lines are important as well to be able to be effective and act ethical you much first be able to understand and listen to what’s going on around you becoming very observant is a great key to life. Has this book given you some ideas on things to use in your own personal business? This seem like it could help you out or give you a few ideas to interpret into your work.
Hello Monique, excellent book blog! I agree with your review, this book looks awesome! I like that it challenges you to change, and is not a quick fix. This, to me, shows that the author truly trying to help the reader, and not providing quick fix scams. I also like the fact that it seems to not only show how a person can become a better leader in business, but a better person in life. I will be adding this book to my summer reading book.
ReplyDeleteChapter 10 really stands out to me. How true is it that communication causes all sorts of problems. We do really each have our own perspective, and can be easily misunderstood. I find this happens often at work. Because I work with special needs indivudals, they often don't understand me, and vice versa first go around. It takes paitence, and putting yourself in another persons shoes to reach a mutual agreement. I like that this chapter teaches to listen with the idea of understanding and learning, and to do so in a positive manner. I think that these lessons will not only make me a better worker, but person as well.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to add to Amy's comment, which I think provides a great basis for discussion!
First, I think it's a great point that, just like anything, Americans (in particular) look for a quick fix...so why wouldn't selling a book about ethical leadership be any different? I agree, though, Amy, that the recommendations in this book pose solid, realistic changes that can be used for a person to improve themselves progressively.
Secondly, I just wanted to comment on how challenging it must be for you to face such communication problems in your daily work! But I think that your work example poses a very inspiring solution that we could all benefit from. In order to be open to positive influence and to be prepared to change, we need to practice by putting ourselves in situations where communication may be difficult for us!
Rachel, I agree with you that for Amy, communication is further complicated by the uniqueness and limitations of the clientele.
ReplyDeleteAccording to Covey, one of the most powerful and essential things you can do, is step outside of your own perspective and really stand in someone else's shoes. This is really a big part of Emotional Intelligence as well.
When we look from our own unique perspectives, we are like a fish who doesn't see the water because we are submerged in our own perspective. When you are submerged in your own viewpoint, you can't see it for any misunderstandings, mistakes or bias and therefore, aren't going to experience growth in that area. Anytime you believe you are right or your way is the only way, you automatically make others, who don't agree with you, wrong or at the very best you tolerate their viewpoint or position. When you allow that someone else can be right, you make your own growth possible. One of the best ways to to do this is by questioning yourself when you get upset with someone because of something they have said or done that you find upsetting, insulting or offensive. When we allow ourselves to be upset by the words or actions of someone else, it can be because we have a fear that they are right and so we are wrong and we don't want to face that within ourselves so we get angry at them for pointing out something we don't want to face. This is a great way to look at expectations of ourselves and others.
Rachel, Covey discusses Extremist Thinking on page 34 when he discusses characteristics of principled leaders. They do not use binary code or black and white labels, but instead focus on the positive contributions, encourage balanced lives and viewpoints, and then lead necessary change without harsh judgments. For example, if someone is working on a project that fails in some way, learn what worked well and then examine how what didn't work well happened and how it can be done differently.
Personally, I teach that anytime you don't like someone, an event, or something, make is a practice to find 3-5 positives or things you do like. If you can't do this, it is a sign that you are being unbalanced and very bias. This is also a good way to examine your own beliefs, memberships and practices. If you can't see anything but perfection in your stance or organization, you are "under the ether" as I like to say. I hope this helped.
Karmen!
ReplyDeleteYes, this book does help me for my work. One of my main goals is to expand into larger businesses and Covey talks about large companies and organizations and their need for principle centered leaders particularly in the area of information systems and corporate constitutions.
In addition, even though the core information is often not new, reading diverse authors and information presented in different formats, helps reinforce information for me and helps me to see various applications.
Ronya!
ReplyDeleteNice reply and I really like how you tied Mandela into the conversation. You are right, he was bitter and did not forget, but he understood how to connect with people in a positive way in order to have a positive impact and realize his goal. Mandela is the rare man who comes out of prison transformed rather than beaten down. This speaks volumes about him, obviously, and that is the height of Emotional Intelligence...using your emotions to work for you rather than against you. The reality was he was wrongfully imprisoned, but he rose above that rather than rail against it and that empowered him.
It is a relatively easy read in and of itself, but yes for me, some of it is review, but I always try to read the message in as many different formats and from as many different perspectives as possible. This gives me perspective and allows me to see increased applications.
Thanks
“Principle Centered Leadership”
ReplyDeleteFor Monique D.
This was a timely book to think about because I’m learning about principle centered leadership along with many other theories in the MBA Leadership class. We discussed principle centered leadership earlier this semester and I think your analysis is pretty much on par with the concepts we talked about in Helen’s class. If you enjoyed this book, you might want to check out “Leadership From the Inside Out” by Kevin Cashman. It discusses principle centered leadership and offers insight into how to utilize it in the real word. Good points on your discussion and I think you did a nice job explaining the concept.
--Matt Davies