Page 42 - The extraordinary leader

Demystifying Leadership • 19

or leaders within any one organization. Our data support the conclusion that
effective leadership is incredibly complex and diverse. Providing one simple
key to leadership is just not workable.
Our inability to find these universal issues was in many ways one of our
most profound findings. The research suggests that extraordinary leaders come
in all shapes and sizes. Some have strengths in some competencies while
others complement them because of their strengths in different competencies.
For an organization to have exceptional leadership ability, it needs to assem-
ble the right team with ample diversity and talent to maximize the collective
influence of the team. Chapter 5 elaborates on this principle.

Insight 10. Effective Leadership Practices
Are Specific to an Organization

Countless leaders who were successful in an organization switch to another
and then fail. This is compelling evidence that leaders must fit the organiza-
tion. Our research showed wide variations between organizations regarding
the specific competencies that were valued most by each one. Leadership
always occurs in a context. See Chapter 5 for further information.

Insight 11. The Key to Developing Great Leadership
Is to Build Strengths

When people are challenged to improve their leadership effectiveness, they
almost automatically assume that the best approach for improvement is
fixing weaknesses. In fact, most leadership development processes result in
leaders developing an action plan that focuses primarily on weaknesses. Our
research has led us to conclude that great leaders are not defined by the
absence of weakness, but rather by the presence of clear strengths. Great lead-
ers, as seen through the eyes of subordinates and peers, possess multiple
strengths, and our research shows a relatively straight-line progression. The
more strengths people have, the more likely they are to be perceived as great
leaders. For example, one large group of managers had this pattern:

● No strength puts them in the 30th percentile of all leaders in that
group.
● One strength placed them at the 60th percentile.