Sunday, December 4, 2011

Colin Powell's Leadership Lessons - 9


Organization charts and fancy titles count for next to nothing.

My apologies for not posting sooner. It was a busy week. 
I trained in the military, which as many of you know, is a very hierarchical organization. People are given ranks and positions; then they have to execute the mission. I can recall many occasions where rank and position didn't provide the results required for the mission. 
So often, people place their worth in their title and position, when it really comes down to who can get the job done. Look for people with the attributes that General Powell describes. These are the real leaders of your organization. Hopefully they are prevalent at all levels of your organization, and in greater numbers than the former people. 

If you find yourself fixating on title, or Organization chart, ask yourself if you already have the capacity to influence and inspire. If you do, why do you need the title? If you don't, should you have the title?

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