Page 41 - The extraordinary leader

18 • The Extraordinary Leader

organization. For example, in one organization we studied, the data showed
that the single most important competency for a leader was to be seen as tech-
nically competent. Conversely, the quality that put leaders into the bottom
rung was their lack of technical competence. This one characteristic was far
more important than the second or third distinguishing capability.
The point is that if people seek to be perceived as great leaders, it behooves
them to know which competencies really make a difference in their organiza-
tions. Our research identified 16 competencies that actually separated the top
10 percent of all leaders from the rest. We believe these are the competencies
on which most leaders should focus. This comprises Chapter 4 of the book.

Insight 8. Leadership Competencies Are Linked
Closely Together

Although an effort has been made to make them appear unique and specific,
the fact of the matter is that leadership competencies are highly intertwined.
Several forces appear to be at work to make this happen. One is that becom-
ing good at one competency appears to make people better at another. This
is the “cross-training effect.” The second way they become linked appears to
be from “attribution” or the creation of a “halo effect.” If a leader is perceived
as being highly effective in working with people, then it is easy to attribute to
that person the skills of being committed to the development of subordinates.
See Chapter 4.

Insight 9. Effective Leaders Have Widely Different
Personal Styles.There Is No One Right Way to Lead

Military leaders provide some of the clearest contrasts in leadership behavior.
Eisenhower was an able administrator and builder of coalitions and generally
self-effacing. MacArthur was strategically focused, sensitive to the culture of
the enemy, and highly flamboyant. Patton was impetuous, passionate, and a
“lone-ranger.” We now have solid research evidence of these widely different
styles, especially viewed from one organization to the next.
In our research we tried diligently to discover the one, two, or three capa-
bilities that were common for all extraordinary leaders. We failed. Our
research confirms what has been suggested from clinical studies of organiza-
tions and leaders. There clearly is no one pattern that covers all organizations