Credibility is the foundation of leadership.

Kouzes & Posner, 2007

 

Leaders must possess more than simply the ability to hold a mirror to the soul; they must uphold standards of competence and integrity. In contrast to the inner work of self-transformation, competence and integrity are learned through exercising the body and mind to learn the crafts – technical, social, and political – required of each person’s leadership role.

 

Technical competence. The closer one is as a leader to the specific work being performed, the greater the degree of technical competence required. As we move into higher-level leadership, the competence required to lead shifts away from the technical to the theoretical in the form of defining the organizational direction and communicating the vision. As a leader, it is my responsibility to develop any competence I am lacking for the role in which I find myself at any time.

 

Social competence. As humans, each of us thinks, speaks, acts, and feels; not as free spirits on our own accord, but as we have been taught by a lifetime of experiences, culture, and relationships. Parker Palmer describes this emotional bondage as having “strings attached to [our] minds and hearts by invisible puppeteers." As a leader, developing the ability to see the needs and attachments of those who follow, and understanding how they influence follower behavior is critical to my effectiveness. To be truly socially competent however, I must look beyond the factors that influence follower behavior, and first understand the thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and emotions that dictate my own behavior.

 

Political competence. In The Leadership Challenge, James Kouzes and Barry Posner describe competence as “the leaders’ …ability to get things done” . As a leader, my ability to get things done can be the result of working with honesty and integrity to negotiate for departmental or organizational needs, or by using narcissistic manipulations. In the end, either approach may produce the same immediate result – acquisition of scarce resources , but only one will communicate to the organization my vision for a culture of open, honest, and respectful inter-personal and inter-organizational interactions.

 

Honesty in a leader cannot be undervalued. Each of us, regardless of position or status, desires to be led (rather than mis-led) to achieve our goals through hard work and principled efforts. While dealing dishonestly may achieve the goal, it robs us of the character we need to speak the truth in difficult times. And truth is the one element that brings us together in unity and mutual discovery.

 

Closely tied to honesty is the concept of integrity. Whereas honesty deals with truthfulness and sincerity, integrity is a measure of ethics and values. A discussion on ethics could occupy volumes, so to break it down into a simple credo; leadership ethics is doing the right thing, for the right reason, for the right outcome. The undergirding of ethical decision-making is found within one’s values. Kouzes and Posner describe values as guides that provide a “moral compass by which to navigate the course of our daily lives” and as “enduring beliefs." The critial element of a value is that it is non-negotiable. In times of difficulty and uncertainty, values are what keep us on the ethical path. As a leader, it is incumbent on me to identify my personal values, and to find commonality with the shared values of the organization. As a leader, it is my responsibility to promote, support, and live the values I espouse and ask of others. This is integrity.