Page 245 - The extraordinary leader

222 • The Extraordinary Leader

The discipline of defining what things you can do and those you cannot
perform (or do not like to do) is of great value. The obvious outcome is to
structure your role in the organization to play to your strengths and to find
ways to have others fill in the gaps.

7. Fix fatal flaws
If you believe you are the possessor of any one (or more) of the fatal flaws iden-
tified in Chapter 7, then begin immediately to find ways to repair them.
Specifically reflect on your experience.
What lessons have you learned from your experience? Specifically, what
did you learn from things that did not go well? What have you done differ-
ently as a consequence? What will prevent that from happening again?

8. Increase the scope of your assignment
In one of the best studies of the powerful developmental experiences that
leaders experience, Anna Valerio concluded that the first and most impactful
experience on the job was to be given a broader scope in your current assign-
ment. That could come via promotion, but could also come as you are given
broader assignments that include more functions, greater budget, or more
people. The key is that the new assignment is broader and different from those
previously held, and above all, an increase in responsibility. 7
Increased scope may be granted to you from senior people in the organi-
zation, or it can be self-generated. Applying for a transfer may be one way to
increase scope and breadth. The implementation of a new procedure, or the
initiation of new project, can also increase scope.
This increased scope provides a good vehicle for the “Focus on Results”
cluster of behaviors. To display this even further, leaders willingly accept
special projects, in which working alone or with a small team, they work on
an important project to a department or the corporation. From this leaders
can learn more about the total organization and achieve greater visibility.
9. Connect with good role models
Through careful observation, leaders gain business acumen and hone impor-
tant interpersonal skills. On occasion, the people being used as role models
give voluntary coaching. They are most often willing to give counsel when
asked. However, a great deal can be learned from merely watching and
listening. Observe how children learn. They watch an adult eat with a spoon
or fork and imitate them. They watch adults tie their shoelaces and learn by
imitating the adults’ actions. This concept, known as social learning theory,