April 4, 2011 

Meaning: Decades ago, leadership pundits debated over what constitutes the “right stuff” for leaders. They saw leadership as residing in individual traits and characteristics; they paid attention to what the individual leader brought to the party. Leadership then, and to some extent now, was about having the right confidence, presence, intelligence, social skills, or strategic ability. Finding someone with the “right stuff” guaranteed one had found an effective leader. 

Personal characteristics form a foundation, but leadership is really about what happens in the interaction between the leader and his or her followers. Turn the camera around: instead of watching the performance of a leader in front of a group, record the reactions and engagement of the audience. That means no matter how much you try to perfect your own performance, the real proof of your effectiveness lies in how others react and respond to you.
 
Idea for Action: While not a practical idea for everyday action, we know one leader who had two video cameras operating during a presentation he made. One camera recorded him; the other focused on his audience. He measured his impact by how engaged and responsive his audience was, not by his own presence or absence of uh’s and um’s. While creating a video of your interactions is likely impractical, there are many ways for you to find out the effectiveness of your interpersonal interactions. Instead of taking this video example literally, consider what you can do on an ongoing basis to learn how engaged others are with you. 
                 
You can always ask for feedback. Ask for candid, objective feedback about your impact. Especially ask about your interpersonal effectiveness: empathy, approachability, respect, listening and communication. Ask one of your trusted team members to pay attention to how others respond to you at a meeting, and then provide you with feedback. What were your strengths? Where could you grow? This is an ongoing trait of great leaders: they continue to solicit input from others to make “course corrections” in their leadership journeys.
 
The impact you have on others cannot be changed overnight. But, you can build a habit of constantly learning how you affect others. Use the “right stuff” you have and make sure it resonates with others in ways that get them engaged with following you.

Best regards,
Sandra Davis, CEO