(Entrepreneur Magazine: 02/2007)

Entrepreneur explores the skills that today’s business leader needs to be successful and contrasts today’s successful styles to those of the past.

"Top Dog": Peaked in the 1950’s and 60’s.
Barking orders, Conformism, All work/no play, My way or the highway.

Problem: Suppresses creativity and innovation. Many companies led by top dogs floundered in a fast-changing market.

"The Unleader": Peaked in 1999.
Want employees to be comfortable and creative, emphasize building consensus before acting, Murky goals, Confusing org chart.

Problem: Inadequate emphasis on solid business plan and the bottom line. Many companies led by unleaders went broke in the late 90s.

Today’s Key Traits for Leadership Success

Basic Skills: (Some Things Never Change)
Walk the walk…leaders must lead by example.
Innovate…Organizations must be designed to encourage innovation.
Execute…Too many leaders fail to bridge the gap between vision and execution.

Adaptability: Leaders must embrace the concept that change is the norm; not the exception.

Self-Awareness: Leaders have to look in the mirror before they can lead effectively. Play to your strengths, improve your weaknesses, and hire people whose talents complement yours.

People Skills: New skills are required to manage and motivate Generation X and Y workers. Younger workers want authenticity, accessibility and respect from their leaders. They expect to get credit for their contributions.

Decisiveness: Fast action matters. The desire to reach consensus must be curtailed at some point in favor of acting decisively.

Collaborative Skills: Department heads should be encouraged to work across company boundaries. Collaborative skills are soft skills with bottom line impact.

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© 2007 Childs Company