P r i n c i p l e s o f L e a d e r s h i p

P r i n c i p l e s o f L e a d e r s h i p

To help you be, know, and do, follow these eleven principles of leadership (U.S. Army,

1983). The later chapters in this Leadership guide expand on these principles and

provide tools for implementing them:

1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement - In order to know yourself, you

have to understand your be, know, and do, attributes. Seeking self-improvement

means continually strengthening your attributes. This can be accomplished

through self-study, formal classes, reflection, and interacting with others.

2. Be technically proficient - As a leader, you must know your job and have a

solid familiarity with your employees' tasks.

3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions - Search for

ways to guide your organization to new heights. And when things go wrong, they

always do sooner or later — do not blame others. Analyze the situation, take

corrective action, and move on to the next challenge.

4. Make sound and timely decisions - Use good problem solving, decision

making, and planning tools.

5. Set the example - Be a good role model for your employees. They must not only

hear what they are expected to do, but also see. We must become the change

we want to see - Mahatma Gandhi

6. Know your people and look out for their well-being - Know human nature and

the importance of sincerely caring for your workers.

7. Keep your workers informed - Know how to communicate with not only them,

but also seniors and other key people.

8. Develop a sense of responsibility in your workers - Help to develop good

character traits that will help them carry out their professional responsibilities.

9. Ensure that tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished -

Communication is the key to this responsibility.

10. Train as a team - Although many so called leaders call their organization,

department, section, etc. a team; they are not really teams...they are just a group

of people doing their jobs.

11. Use the full capabilities of your organization - By developing a team spirit,

you will be able to employ your organization, department, section, etc. to its

fullest capabilities.

T h e P r o c e s s o f G r e a t L e a d e r s h i p

The road to great leadership (Kouzes & Posner, 1987) that is common to successful

leaders:

o Challenge the process - First, find a process that you believe needs to be

improved the most.

o Inspire a shared vision - Next, share your vision in words that can be

understood by your followers.

o Enable others to act - Give them the tools and methods to solve the problem.

o Model the way - When the process gets tough, get your hands dirty. A boss tells

others what to do, a leader shows that it can be done.

o Encourage the heart - Share the glory with your followers' hearts, while keeping

the pains within your own.