The Right Leader for the Right Reasons

ULI members got a lesson in leadership on the closing day of the Institute’s annual fall meeting from an expert on the subject –- Bill George, author of Authentic Leadership and True North. According to George, executive leadership in the United States has been slipping over the past several decades because "we have been choosing the wrong leaders for the wrong reasons," opting for those with charisma, rather than character; and basing decisions on image, rather than integrity.

True leadership, George said, is rooted in taking responsibility, not making money or power, and on a firm commitment to customer service. "If you don’t create better value for your customers, your competitors will, and you will be out of business," he said.

He urged ULI members to offer younger employees opportunities to lead and advance. "They are knowledge workers who probably know more than you do. They need an opportunity to make a difference…People have a right to the sense that they are making a difference with their work. When they feel that way, they will give you their hearts, not just their heads. Leadership in the 21^st century is about leading with a clear sense of purpose, not about getting people to follow you."

According to George, successful leadership involves three factors: 1) aligning people around a common purpose and a set if values; 2) empowering people to lead through their own work; and 3) serving customers well to engender loyalty.

Being a true leader boils down to "being true to yourself," he said. This means 1) developing self-awareness, and seeking honest feedback; 2) sticking to values when under pressure; 3) being motivated by what truly matters; 4) building a support team to help you weather times; and 5) acting the same in professional as well as personal situations. "Building trust. That’s what 21^st century leadership is all about," he said.

Great food for thought in today’s turbulent real estate environment.

Comments

[Joseph Chung]

This is all powerful stuff and in my pursuit of embodying these leadership qualities, I have had a lot of personal difficulty yet I can see ways in which I have grown a lot... p.s. Bill George's Website is at www.truenorthleaders.com