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GeneralColinPowellChairman(Ret),JointChiefsofStaffALeadershipPrimerLESSON1Beingresponsiblesometimesmeanspissingpeopleoff.Goodleadershipinvolvesresponsibilitytothewelfareofthegroup,whichmeansthatsomepeoplewillgetangryatyouractionsanddecisions.It'sinevitable,ifyou'rehonorable.Tryingtogeteveryonetolikeyouisasignofmediocrity:you'llavoidthetoughdecisions,you'llavoidconfrontingthepeoplewhoneedtobeconfronted,andyou'llavoidofferingdifferentialrewardsbasedondifferentialperformancebecausesomepeoplemightgetupset.Ironically,byprocrastinatingonthedifficultchoices,bytryingnottogetanyonemad,andbytreatingeveryoneequallynicelyregardlessoftheircontributions,you'llsimplyensurethattheonlypeopleyou'llwindupangeringarethemostcreativeandproductivepeopleintheorganization.LESSON2Thedaysoldiersstopbringingyoutheirproblemsisthedayyouhavestoppedleadingthem.Theyhaveeitherlostconfidencethatyoucanhelpthemorconcludedthatyoudonotcare.Eithercaseisafailureofleadership.Ifthiswerealitmustest,themajorityofCEOswouldfail.One,theybuildsomanybarrierstoupwardcommunicationthattheveryideaofsomeonelowerinthehierarchylookinguptotheleaderforhelpisludicrous.Two,thecorporateculturetheyfosteroftendefinesaskingforhelpasweaknessorfailure,sopeoplecoveruptheirgaps,andtheorganizationsuffersaccordingly.Realleadersmakethemselvesaccessibleandavailable.Theyshowconcernfortheeffortsandchallengesfacedbyunderlings,evenastheydemandhighstandards.Accordingly,theyaremorelikelytocreateanenvironmentwhereproblemanalysisreplacesblame.LESSON3Don'tbebuffaloedbyexpertsandelites.Expertsoftenpossessmoredatathanjudgment.Elitescanbecomesoinbredthattheyproducehemophiliacswhobleedtodeathassoonastheyarenickedbytherealworld.Smallcompaniesandstart-upsdon'thavethetimeforanalyticallydetachedexperts.Theydon'thavethemoneytosubsidizeloftyelites,either.Thepresidentanswersthephoneanddrivesthetruckwhennecessary;everyoneonthepayrollvisiblyproducesandcontributestobottom-lineresultsorthey'rehistory.Butascompaniesgetbigger,theyoftenforgetwhobroughtthemtothedance:thingslikeall-handsinvolvement,egalitarianism,informality,marketintimacy,daring,risk,speed,agility.Policiesthatemanatefromivorytowersoftenhaveanadverseimpactonthepeopleoutinthefieldwhoarefightingthewarsorbringingintherevenues.Realleadersarevigilant,andcombative,inthefaceofthesetrends.LESSON4Don'tbeafraidtochallengethepros,evenintheirownbackyard.Learnfromthepros,observethem,seekthemoutasmentorsandpartners.Butrememberthateventheprosmayhaveleveledoutintermsoftheirlearningandskills.Sometimeseventheproscanbecomecomplacentandlazy.Leadershipdoesnotemergefromblindobediencetoanyone.Xerox'sBarryRandwasrightontargetwhenhewarnedhispeoplethatifyouhaveayes-manworkingforyou,oneofyouisredundant.Goodleadershipencourageseveryone'sevolution.LESSON5Neverneglectdetails.Wheneveryone'smindisdulledordistractedtheleadermustbedoublyvigilant.Strategyequalsexecution.Allthegreatideasandvisionsintheworldareworthlessiftheycan'tbeimplementedrapidlyandefficiently.Goodleadersdelegateandempowerothersliberally,buttheypayattentiontodetails,everyday.(ThinkaboutsupremeathleticcoacheslikeJimmyJohnson,PatRileyandTonyLaRussa).Badones,eventhosewhofancythemselvesasprogressivevisionaries,thinkthey'resomehowaboveoperationaldetails.Paradoxically,goodleadersunderstandsomethingelse:anobsessiveroutineincarryingoutthedetailsbegetsconformityandcomplacency,whichinturndullseveryone'smind.Thatiswhyevenastheypayattentiontodetails,theycontinuallyencouragepeopletochallengetheprocess.TheyimplicitlyunderstandthesentimentofCEOleaderslikeQuadGraphic'sHarryQuadracchi,Oticon'sLarsKolindandthelateBillMcGowanofMCI,whoallindependentlyassertedthattheJobofaleaderisnottobethechieforganizer,butthechiefdis-organizer.LESSON6Youdon'tknowwhatyoucangetawaywithuntilyoutry.Youknowtheexpression,it'seasiertogetforgivenessthanpermission.Well,it'strue.Goodleadersdon'twaitforofficialblessingtotrythingsout.They'reprudent,notreckless.Buttheyalsorealizeafactoflifeinmostorganizations:ifyouaskenoughpeopleforpermission,you'llinevitablycomeupagainstsomeonewhobelieveshisjobistosayno.Sothemoralis,don'task.Lesseffectivemiddlemanagersendorsedthesentiment,IfIhaven'texplicitlybeentold'yes,'Ican'tdoit,whereasthegoodonesbelieved,IfIhaven'texplicitlybeentold'no,'Ican.There'saworldofdifferencebetweenthesetwopointsofview.LESSON7Keeplookingbelowsurfaceappearances.Don'tshrinkfromdoingso(just)becauseyoumightnotlikewhatyoufind.Ifitain'tbroke,don'tfixitisthesloganofthecomplacent,thearrogantorthescared.It'sanexcuseforinaction,acalltonon-arms.It'samind-setthatassumes(orhopes)thattoday'srealitieswillcontinuetomorrowinatidy,linearandpredictablefashion.Purefantasy.Inthissortofculture,youwon'tfindpeoplewhopro-activelytakestepstosolveproblemsastheyemerge.Here'salittletip:don'tinvestinthesecompanies.LESSON8Organizationdoesn'treallyaccomplishanything.Plansdon'taccomplishanything,either.Theoriesofmanagementdon'tmuchmatter.Endeavorssucceedorfailbecauseofthepeopleinvolved.Onlybyattractingthebestpeoplewillyouaccomplishgreatdeeds.Inabrain-basedeconomy,yourbesta