My enduring, unscientific, reliable indicators of great leadership

I was reminded recently of Jamie Dimon’s comment regarding a filter he places on leaders.  He looks at how willing the person is to take the blame, how they act when something goes wrong, and, most striking to me, is whether you would want one of your kids to work for that person?   I would add: does that leader equally support and challenge those that work for them? For me it has been a reliable way to identify leaders who understand that their company’s future success depends on the talent they build around them. For me it is similar to my climbing mentor challenging me to a project I cannot climb at my current level and is there to belay me, but let me puzzle out the route. This somewhat unscientific filter is also an elegant way to raise a potential red flag on leaders that are self-centered and/or insecure. I, recently, had recalled my own path into leadership and, particularly, great leaders I have worked with over the years. Shout out to David Black, Stan Damas, Keith Todd, Kathy Harris, Elenora Crichelow, Pamela Dennis and others.

I would not want my kids working for a leader who does not give much thought and effort to developing staff, particularly those early in their careers. The great leaders I had an opportunity to work with early in my career, were masters at challenging me and reminding me that it was their roll to challenge my thinking, and approach. Even more so, they framed my role, and objectives such that I needed to learn a new way if I were to succeed. Then they backed up the challenge with experiences, mentoring, and formal development.  As I moved into the executive suite, I was already prepared habitually to do the same for those I had an opportunity to work with; particularly early leaders with a desire to make an impact with integrity and were the kind of person I would want my kids to work for.

Certainly, many leaders miss the mark, and I would caution those early in their careers to seek out, without settling, a leader that supports and challenges. Run away from those that are self-centered or simply insecure.  Those early experiences are more important than we sometimes realize. You cannot afford to endure poor leadership when there are others that can give you the tools and habits that will teach you to lead at a level far above what you thought possible.