What does it really take to become a great leader? You need a framework for leading that gives you clarity when chaos is all around you. The framework, called "Leadership in Context" already exists. It's up to you to master it and put it to work. Drawing

Achieve Leadership Genius

How You Lead Depends on Who, What, Where, and When You LeadBy Drea Zigarmi Susan Fowler Dick Lyles

iUniverse, Inc.

Copyright © 2011 Drea Zigarmi, Susan Fowler, and Dick Lyles
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4502-6899-8

Contents

FOREWORD.......................................................................................................xiiiABOUT THE AUTHORS..............................................................................................xvACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................................................xixINTRODUCTION...................................................................................................xxiPART ONE—THE FIVE CONTEXTS...............................................................................1CHAPTER 1 THE SELF CONTEXT: YOUR ROLE IN CREATING MEANINGFUL WORK.............................................7CHAPTER 2 THE ONE-TO-ONE CONTEXT: YOUR ROLE IN DEVELOPING INDIVIDUAL EXCELLENCE...............................15CHAPTER 3 THE TEAM CONTEXT: YOUR ROLE IN FACILITATING HIGH-IMPACT TEAMS.......................................25CHAPTER 4 THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT: YOUR ROLE IN GENERATING THE ORGANIZATION'S VITALITY.....................37CHAPTER 5 THE ALLIANCE CONTEXT: YOUR ROLE IN FOSTERING STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS................................47PART TWO—THE FIVE PRACTICES OF LEADERSHIP IN CONTEXT.....................................................55CHAPTER 6 PREPARE: THE FIRST LEADERSHIP PRACTICE..............................................................61CHAPTER 7 PREPARE: WHAT'S DRIVING YOUR LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR?...................................................67CHAPTER 8 PREPARE: LEADING WITH DEVELOPED VALUES..............................................................79CHAPTER 9 PREPARE: INVESTIGATING YOUR PERSONA.................................................................97CHAPTER 10 PREPARE: THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGE...................................................................107CHAPTER 11 ENVISION: THE SECOND LEADERSHIP PRACTICE...........................................................115CHAPTER 12 ENVISION IN THE SELF CONTEXT.......................................................................121CHAPTER 13 ENVISION IN THE ONE-TO-ONE CONTEXT.................................................................137CHAPTER 14 ENVISION IN THE TEAM CONTEXT.......................................................................145CHAPTER 15 ENVISION IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT.............................................................155CHAPTER 16 ENVISION IN THE ALLIANCE CONTEXT...................................................................163CHAPTER 17 INITIATE: THE THIRD LEADERSHIP PRACTICE............................................................167CHAPTER 18 INITIATE IN THE SELF CONTEXT.......................................................................171CHAPTER 19 INITIATE IN THE ONE-TO-ONE CONTEXT.................................................................181CHAPTER 20 INITIATE IN THE TEAM CONTEXT.......................................................................195CHAPTER 21 INITIATE IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT.............................................................211CHAPTER 22 INITIATE IN THE ALLIANCE CONTEXT...................................................................219CHAPTER 23 ASSESS: THE FOURTH LEADERSHIP PRACTICE.............................................................223CHAPTER 24 ASSESS IN THE SELF CONTEXT.........................................................................229CHAPTER 25 ASSESS IN THE ONE-TO-ONE CONTEXT...................................................................237CHAPTER 26 ASSESS IN THE TEAM CONTEXT.........................................................................247CHAPTER 27 ASSESS IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT...............................................................255CHAPTER 28 ASSESS IN THE ALLIANCE CONTEXT.....................................................................261CHAPTER 29 RESPOND: THE FIFTH LEADERSHIP PRACTICE.............................................................265PART THREE—THE PROMISE AND CHALLENGE OF LEADERSHIP IN CONTEXT............................................275CHAPTER 30 A NEW VIEW OF LEADERSHIP...........................................................................279CHAPTER 31 LEADERSHIP IMPERATIVES.............................................................................287BIBLIOGRAPHY...................................................................................................295Index..........................................................................................................331

Chapter One

THE SELF CONTEXT: YOUR ROLE IN CREATING MEANINGFUL WORK

Close your eyes for a moment and imagine your work life five years in the future. What are you doing and where are you doing it? Now answer this question: Would you be satisfied doing the same job, contributing at the same level, using the same degree of education and level of skill, and making the same amount of money in five years as you do today?

The most frequent answer to this question is a resounding No. Not surprising. But what may be a surprise is the answer we hear when we change the question to: Would you be satisfied doing the same job, making the same contribution, using the same degree of education and level of skill, but making more money? The answer is still No.

We discovered that most people express a need to improve their competence, enhance their level of contribution, and experience personal and professional growth—regardless of the money issue. Contrary to a popular belief that people resist change—perhaps even fear it—most people embrace the prospect of change. We are willing to bet that you aren't resisting change either—and may even be hoping for change to happen! (Perhaps sooner, rather than later.)

Consider this: People don't resist change; they resist being controlled. People don't fear change; they fear not having a hand in creating the change they realize must happen over time. Most people desire development, growth, and an opportunity to be an architect of the change they know is inevitable. So why the big deal over change in the workplace? Unfortunately, too many people don't realize that being an architect of their own change requires determination and skills—so rather than taking the initiative to forge their own future, they often flounder as their boss, their organization, market conditions, and industry ups and down determine their fate. The workplace is filled with victims waiting for a rescue that may not come. This is why learning to lead in the Self Context is critical for achieving leadership genius.

Leading in the Self Context is having the skill set and the mindset to accept responsibility and take the initiative for succeeding in your work-related role.

The first essential acts of leadership take place in the Self Context. Mastering self leadership enables you to establish positive conditions in the present and design a future that lives up to your aspirations—no matter what your position in the organization. It will also provide a foundation of understanding to lead direct reports, teams, organizations, or alliances more effectively. How can you expect to effectively lead others toward their vision and in pursuit of...