Thanks to Kevin Hall for sharing his thoughts on leadership in the following interview.
Kevin Hall is an accomplished author, speaker, consultant and serves as Chairman for the Statue of Responsibility Project, a $200 million project inspired by Dr. Viktor Frankl. Kevin has been featured in Forbes Magazine, Restaurant Business, Nation’s Restaurant News and Worth magazine. He is co-authoring a new book series titled The Power of Words. The first book, The Power of Words for Leaders, will be available in book stores in 2006, followed by The Power of Words for Health and Healing in late 2006/early 2007. He was a partner in Franklin Quest which became Franklin Covey.
In your experience, what are the traits or characteristics that all leaders share?
Humility is the “magna cum laude” of leadership traits. I’m not talking about the dictionary definition of being meek, lowly, or timid. Humility originates from “humus”, which is that rich organic part of soil that allows for growth. In fact, we won’t grow or develop, and we won’t allow others to grow and develop without sufficient “humus”, or humility, in our lives. Great leaders are constantly learning, improving, and planting the seeds of personal growth as they journey along their path in life...they are teachable. All other traits of great leaders emanate and cascade down from humility. In short, humility is the one single characteristic that separates great leaders from good leaders.
Without true humility we can easily get caught up in the the unquenchable cycle of “having more¸ acquiring more”. We think we have to “have” more, to “do” more, before we can “be” more. This “Have-Do-Be” pattern of behavior is a treadmill that leads to nowhere fast. The “humus” path of personal growth and learning, focused first on “being and becoming”, leads to a “Be-Do-Have” pattern of behavior that is both fulfilling and sustainable. We will know that we are on the true path of leadership when we start asking questions like— “What do I need to become to have what I most value in my life?”
Our relationships, our businesses, our health, our finances, even our impact in the world...will all grow in direct proportion to how much we grow and what we become in the process.
How does language relate to leadership?
