Leadership - A discussion of traits, characteristics, and current news of leaders.

I found myself at the back of a pack of cyclists the other day. I had not ridden in several months and joined a friend and his group of riders in an effort to get from behind the din of a computer monitor to enjoy the sunshine and beach scenes that are so nearby. I certainly got what I asked for and also received a healthy dose of burning legs, oxygen depletion and a sore butt.

The group headed from Irvine, CA to Laguna Beach on Laguna Beach Canyon Rd. I was the least fit and subsequently rode at the back, glad for the draft from the other riders. To take full advantage of the aerodynamic benefit of following the group, I followed within a few inches of my friend’s back wheel.

At points on this road, the shoulder where we could ride became narrow. We snaked between the vehicle traffic that was backing up and the gravel and dirt of the shoulder (not our ride in photo).

This part of the ride required concentration. It was necessary to be aware of the groups speed and direction every instant. This situation caused me to consider the importance of trust in any group. I thought about the trust that every rider in this group had for the rider in front of them. I had not ridden with this group enough to know their individual styles, habits and capabilities as cyclists. But we set out together with a unified goal and clearly defined course. Each rider’s expectation was that we would all follow this objective and that the group would move ahead as one. This commitment required each of is to not only ride for oneself but for the guy behind.

It was a nice reminder of some important principles of leadership:

• Communicate a clearly stated goal or objective
• Draw commitment to that goal or objective
• Exercise trust in teammates
• Create unity in purpose and commitment to teammates

I doubt any of the other riders were thinking about these principles as they applied to leadership. They were all experienced riders and these traits and characteristics came natural to them after hundreds of group rides. That is the point we would all like to reach in our organizations. Namely, that all or most of the team has learned these principles and naturally follows them. It only will happen through routine practice and if it is part of the culture. You can establish this culture as the leader.

Photo credit Laguna - Matthew Morton and Cycling - Joe Cashin.

As I mentioned yesterday, not everyone is psyched about making resolutions or setting goals.  A book that seems to be getting a lot of buzz this time of year is for the person that doesn't really like the process of goal-setting.

The book is The Magic Lamp.

It is described on Amazon:

While I have not read it, customer reviews were all positive.

If this book does not seem like a fit for you, check out Coffee-Shop Schmuck.  He lists his top ten  books that can help you reach your goals.  Most he has read and gives you his personal review.

The New Year is upon us. I get a chuckle from all the talk about New Years resolutions. I mostly enjoy the skeptics that “resolve not to make New Years resolutions.”

I always ask myself why it is so important for these people to declare that they have no interest in making a commitment to improve their lives. It doesn’t much matter to me that they don’t want to set goals for the coming year but what continues to amaze me is their interest in announcing it. I think it is that they refuse to be bullied by the tradition. My guess is they will make their goals on their own time.

I have a different view. I love the history of this tradition and the reminder it provides me to be grateful and to evaluate, learn and plan.

From The Age,

While most of our lives don’t revolve around the agrarian cycle, the metaphor is still relevant to today.

The Romans named the first month of the year after Janus, the god of beginnings and the guardian of doors and entrances. He was always depicted with two faces, one on the front of his head and one on the back. Thus he could look backward and forward at the same time. So as midnight approached on December 31, the Romans imagined Janus looking back at the old year and forward to the new.

In Wales, tradition has it that at the first toll of midnight, the back door should be opened and then shut to release the old year and lock out all of its bad luck. Then at the twelfth stroke of the clock, the front door is opened and the New Year is welcomed with all of its good luck.

These traditions are valuable reminders that we must look back to learn and evaluate from the past year and then plan and set new objectives for the new year. It is the combination of looking backward for wisdom and forward with hope that enables us to reach our potential. Not doing both makes a resolution an exercise in futility and likely unattainable.

The second installment of highlights from a cover story by Newsweek a few weeks past entitled “How Women Lead."   Six more insights in to life and leadership.