Blog about Leadership

Harold Geneen was a businessman who immigrated to the United States from England with his parents as an infant. During his career, he was the Chief Executive Officer of two major corporations – Raytheon and ITT.

I always enjoy a good quote. I have taken inspiration and thought critically about several of Harold Geneen’s quotes. I’ve never read any of his books (please don’t interpret this as any consideration other than I have a limited amount of time to read and too many other books on my shelf).

Quote about Leadership from Harold Geneen:
“Leadership cannot really be taught. It can only be learned.”

I think this quote may be a bit subject to critique, but in general I do agree that “leadership cannot really be taught.” Leaders can be developed and mentored, but learning leadership is the responsibility of the individuals themselves. Learning leadership does not come from a book (or a blog, but please continue to read LeadershipJot.com!). Leadership is learned from practice and experience.

One thing that all leaders have in common is a lifetime of experience. The younger the leader is the more immature their leadership potential. The more mature the leader is the stronger their leadership potential. However, don’t judge a leader by his age. Barrack Obama may be significantly younger than Hillary Clinton or John McCain, but you cannot say he is not an effective leader. He has been running a predominately successful campaign for the Democratic Party nomination for President against more experienced and more established candidates. His has inspired and influenced many potential constituents and he has definitely left his mark on US Presidential politics.

A leader, like Barrack Obama, who may be young or just younger than others, is a leader who gained significantly from his experience in a short period of time by emphasizing quality and not merely quantity. This may be attributed to intelligence, wisdom, or, perhaps, leadership potential.

At any rate, the quality of a leader’s experience is demonstrated in their effectiveness as a leader. The quality of experience may compensate for the quantity of experience.

(Please note: this is not an endorsement for Barrack Obama.)

Other quotes about leadership from Harold Geneen:
“Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.”
“Uncertainty will always be part of the taking charge process.”

Books by Harold Geneen:

• The Synergy Myth: And Other Ailments Of Business Today, with Brent Bowers, St. Martin’s Press, ISBN 0-312-14724-4
• Synergy and Other Lies: Downsizing, Bureaucracy, and Corporate Culture Debunked, with Brent Bowers, St. Martin’s Press, ISBN 0-312-20080-3
• Managing, with Alvin Moscow, Avon Books, ISBN 0-380-69986-9
• Alta dirección, with Alvin Moscow, Lectorum Pubns Inc, ISBN 84-253-1871-8

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Each leader tends to define leadership in their “own” words. It’s not that the definitions are different, but that the words are personalized to each leader. Leaders take the time to dwell on “what it means” and “what it takes” to lead.

Some may be placed in leadership positions overnight, but the ability to lead is developed over a long period of time. Great leaders continue to develop their leadership ability over their entire lives and never stop leading.

Defining leadership with a quote from Arthur F Carmazzi:
“To lead is not to influence others to do something they are not committed to, but rather to nurture a culture that motivates and even excites individuals to do what is required for the benefit of all.”

The main idea I like from this quote is the idea “to nurture a culture” for environmental factors are pertinent for successful leadership. Some corporate cultures are great for developing and supporting leaders; while other cultures are rigidly focused on a hierarchy to the extent that some leaders are stifled and stunted.

Position in a rigid hierarchy becomes the main factor for leadership, but position is only a factor for one facet of leadership – authority. The practice of leadership is not dependent on position. For example, many leaders in communities do not hold positions of leadership, but rather practice leadership socially to better their communities.

More on Defining Leadership:

Peter Drucker was great at defining things in business and wrote many books during his lifetime to do so. He also wrote about leadership: See Beyond the Limits of Experience to the Horizon of Potential and Lead the Journey.

Back in October, I wrote about the need for leadership when the US was starting an economic decline significantly: Now is the Time for Leadership.

Inspired by Michael E. Gerber’s book ‘The E-Myth, I wrote about Three Different Leaders of the Technician the Manager and the Entrepreneur.

Dr. Myles Monroe has a great quote to define leadership: Defining Leadership with a Quote from Dr Myles Monroe.

A quote about leadership from John Quincy Adams was noted in To Lead is to Dream Learn Do and Become More.

At the beginning of the year, I started to look at leadership as a mathematic formula: Formula for Successful Leadership.

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John Quincy Adams 

The former US President, John Quincy Adams, who was also the son of the US’s second President, was a man who lived an amazing life and was able to influence several of America’s defining government policies like the Monroe Doctrine, Adams-Onís Treaty, Treaty of Ghent, and, even, Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. The son of John and Abigail Adams, born on July 11, 1767, was a diplomat with international accomplishments, a Senator, a Secretary of State, a President, and then served seventeen years in the US House of Representatives until his death in 1848.

Quote from John Quincy Adams about Leadership:
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

Learning

Learning is a primary attribute of a leader. To be successful and to be a leader, adopt a lifetime of learning. But, as John Q. Adams’s quote reminds us, leaders beget leaders. So as you mentor and develop leaders, encourage them to adopt a lifetime of learning.

Action

Without a vision and purpose, there is no action, but merely having a vision is not sufficient. Your actions and the actions of others should move the group or organization in the direction of your vision. As the notable, former Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger puts it, “The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.”

Accomplishment

Your actions as a leader and the actions of those you lead should produce a product, service, or effect that accomplishes your vision. While the goals may change along the journey, the path should be marked with evidence of your leadership and tributes to the success of your team.

Lead

As a leader “…inspire others… (to be) …more…” by being more yourself and dream, learn, do, and become.

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