Great Leadership Ideas from Irene Becker

Good bosses, bad bosses, productive bosses can all learn to be better leaders, but the litmus test of 21st century leadership is not about learning to  lead better, it is about learning to think, communicate, collaborate and LEAD differently.

Best practices are made in the now. Leadership development that rests upon what worked in the past may be impotent tomorrow. The imperative to create NEW leaders and to champion new and better ways of developing leadership, learning and life skills that grow, expand in disruptive times is real and critical.  GREAT leadership is about using what is to create what can be in ourselves and in those we lead and serve.

Let’s take a brief look at where we have been and where we are heading, a quick review of what makes 2014 different, and what speaks to the need for the development of 3Q Leadership skills that grow at the speed of change, challenges and ambiguity. Leadership skills whose seeds are planted and harvested in our schools, colleges, universities and workplaces because the new reality is a reality where every individual must develop greater autonomy, resiliency and improved thinking, communicating and collaborating skills.

 Age of Industrialization    Production drives success (process).  Mastering the mode of production becomes the success engine. Taylorism. Beginning of 9-5 workday/structured hours.

 Age of Information            Organizational effectiveness and size drive success (people and process-emphasis on process, production. Growth of big enterprise, silos, bureaucracy).

 Age of the Consumer        Bigger, more inclusive and competitive marketplace, outsourcing, cheaper access to products.  Client experience drives success–people, process &

perception of value.  Growing impact of women in the workplace and taking a larger role globally contributes to a purpose-centric viewpoint focused on creating value for all stakeholders and communities

20,000 human years to build first billion consumers
The past 20 years have created 2 billion consumers
The next 5 years will create 1 billion consumers (emerging nations leading the way)
Where we are now>>>    In transition between the age of the consumer and the age of innovation. A disruptive, uncomfortable place for many because ambiguity,
changes, challenges as well as opportunities fuzzy our focus and test our ability to be possibility thinkers and doers.

  Age of Innovation             Human potential: Creativity, collaboration, innovation, adaptability and the ability to create value for shareholders, stakeholders, employees, communities (all constituents) determines success.  Project based teams become the quid pro quo in most organizations.  Traditional bricks and mortar schools are reinvented, as is the large enterprise as we know it is transformed from inside out.  Systems of thinking, doing and executing that expand creativity and innovation grow and evolve.

 The human, social and business imperative to develop a new and different balance between process, production, people and value creation that drives possibility thinking and establishes new benchmarks for our best thoughts, communication and actions is critical. 21st century success rests in the thoughts, communication and actions of pioneers and trailblazers; real people, thoughtful, purpose driven people, great leaders who have the courage to challenge the status quo; people who recognize that what created success in the past will not and cannot take us forward smarter, faster and happier in a whole new world, workplace and marketplace where changes, challenges, opportunities and ambiguity will continue to grow and stretch us.   Will you embrace the changes and challenges you face as levers for your greatest potential build YOUR 3Q Edge™ (IQ-EQ-SQ)? Is it time to re-set the internal GPS in ways that empower possibility thinking and success in disruptive times of change, challenges & ambiguity?  Stay tuned for Part Three in this Series: From Now to HOW-It’s All in Your Mind

Great leadership is about success, and success is not about taking, it is about serving. Those who lead will be those who serve by developing their ability to empower, inspire and actualize their potential and the potential of others by kindling the fire of courage, integrity and humanity that keeps them on track and fuels the determination and resiliency many lack because it is easier to manage than to lead. Great leadership is a 3Q equation supported by courage. Courage grows each time we align IQ (intellect), EQ (humanity), and SQ (integrity) 

- Irene Becker, Leadership Guru