20
Feb
2008
The Leadership Ring
Posted by Steele Kizerian as leadership
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The Leadership Ring
The ring has a circular shape that forms to fit the finger. A circle is never-ending. It is constant and infinite. Likewise, a true leaders is constant. Leaders are not people-pleasers nor do they sway to the left or right depending on who is around them. They are constant in their morals; in their vision and viewpoints. Rings are also solid and sturdy. Leaders stand their ground and are not indecisive. They are firm in their commitment. Rings can be molded and fitted to the finger to make the perfect fit so that they never slip off, get lost, or inflict pain. Likewise, leaders can be selected for specific and special purposes. One person can be the perfect match for a specific situation where another person might not. It all depends on the situation, the people involved, and the needs of the group.
Another aspect of rings that capture the essence of leadership is that they are not perfect. Rings get scratched and lose their shine. An effective leader will be the first to admit that they are not perfect. Leaders make mistakes. Leadership is not always as glorious as it may seem from the outside. There are many critics of leaders and what they do and say. Therefore, the ring not only is a symbol of the good parts of leadership, but also the more difficult parts. The wear and the scratches on the ring show that the leaders are also in the trenches. They are examples of what they want their followers to emulate.
Most individuals can become a leader in some shape or form, on a large scale or a small one. Rings come in different forms, shapes, sizes, and styles. They are forged out of heat and hard work and take time to develop. Leaders are unique as well; there are no two leaders out there who are the same. Leaders do not just become leaders in a flash; it takes sacrificing and hard work towards a goal. It takes a lot of time and effort to develop those traits and fine tune the skills of leadership. Many times a person only has one ring on the hand. Leaders can often times be isolated, and must stand alone in order to grow and progress. Leaders will stick up for their beliefs and have confidence in their morals to the extent that they may be lonely and unpopular. Certain rings are more glamorous and brilliant, whereas others can be dull, ugly, and poorly formed. Equally, some leaders are more charismatic, personable and effective than others. However, it doesn’t change the fact that a ring is a ring, and a true leader a true leader.
Types and Purposes
Sometimes a ring symbolizes hard work and commitment. It may also represent dedication and love. True leaders are committed and dedicated to their cause and truly love what they do. Leaders don’t become leaders overnight, they must work at it, pay the price and put forth the effort.
Oftentimes a ring represents great achievements or excellence. Effective leaders set goals early on and work their way up to achieve them. They must practice, study, put in extra hours, and go above and beyond to achieve their goals. They have a sense of competition and know what it is like to succeed with opposition. Leaders are familiar with winning and losing in the face of opposing forces. However, in the end, when they come out victorious it is because they earned it; they earned the credibility and right to lead. Therefore, more people are apt to follow them because of their dedication to success.
Acquisition
I believe that rings truly capture the essence of leadership. The physical features and characteristics of rings determine the characteristics of leaders. There are so many underlying analogies within the analogy of the ring that capture what leadership is and what it should represent. In one form or another, all people can be leaders within their own spheres of influence. Leadership is not just something that is easy as purchasing a ring at the store. Just like the person who had to work to earn the money to buy the ring, one must work hard at becoming a leader who will influence the lives of others in a positive and sustainable way.
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2 Responses
Caroline O'Connell
February 21st, 2008 at 2:53 pm
1Dear Steele,
We’d like to send you a copy of CRUCIBLES OF LEADERSHIP – How to Learn from Experience to Become a Great Leader (Harvard Business School Press; publication date, March 24, 2008) for possible coverage in your blog. Could you please send us your mailing address?
In this book, author Robert J. Thomas explains that what matters most is what one makes of experience, particularly the traumatic and often unplanned crucible events that challenge one’s identity as a leader. Like accomplished athletes or artists, they practice as strenuously as they perform. And because the line between performance and practice is often hard to discern, they learn how to practice while they perform.
Thomas offers a practical, actionable guide to devising a Personal Learning Strategy through self-assessments, exercises (including videotaping yourself at work), and Setting an Agenda to move forward. In addition, he includes lessons to alert to the “warning signs” of an impending crucible and identify the skills necessary to cope, respond, and learn. “The goal of this book is to render that process visible and practical,” Thomas continues.
Much of the data analyzed in Crucibles of Leadership comes from interviews with leaders in business, government, the performing arts, non-profits, and sports (from organizations as diverse as Marriott International, the U.S. Marines, and the Mormon Church). Many of the interviewees’ crucibles, that led to a new or altered sense of identity, were based in family life, wartime trauma, athletic competition, or personal loss, rather than in work-related situations.
There were Four Major Findings from this research:
* Crucibles contain two lessons – one lesson is about leadership and the other is about learning. When addressed in a disciplined way, lessons can accelerate learning in the future – not just in learning from crucibles, but in learning from everyday experiments.
* Practice can trump talent in leadership just as much as in sports and the performing arts. In business as well as in the arts, outstanding performers are remarkably attentive to the opportunities for polishing basic skills – and testing new ones – that crop up in the midst of crucible experiences and day-to-day work.
* Outstanding leaders, consciously or unconsciously, devise a personal strategy for recognizing and transforming crucible experiences into lessons that keep them refreshed and responsive.
* Organizations can grow more leaders, and grow them faster, by helping individuals learn from their experiences. Thomas examines innovations being used in a number of organizations “to leverage experience to grow leaders” – including Toyota, General Electric, Accenture, and Boeing.
“Nearly three decades of teaching, consulting, coaching, and leading have brought me to the conclusion that the ability to learn is the all-purpose tool, the Swiss Army knife, that leaders need to carry at all times if they hope to fulfill the expectations they’ve set for themselves and that others have of them,” Thomas explains.
What distinguishes men and women who grow through a crucible experience is their approach to learning. Crucibles of Leadership is about leaders who are skilled at transforming crucible experiences into lessons that make them personally more effective and that result in improved performance on the part of the organizations they lead.
bubbles jane
February 28th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
2good advice
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