Lee Iacocca’s 9 C’s of Leadership
- Curiosity. A leader has to listen to people outside of the “Yes, sir” crowd in his inner circle. He has to read voraciously because the world is a big, complicated place. If a leader never steps outside his comfort zone to hear different ideas, he grows stale. If he doesn’t put his beliefs to the test, how does he know he’s right? The inability to listen is a form of arrogance. It means either you think you already know it all, or you just don’t care.
- Creativity. A leader has to be creative, go out on a limb, and be willing to try something different. You know, think outside the box. Leadership is all about managing change. Things change, and you get creative. You adapt.
- Communicate. Facing reality and telling the truth, talk straight. Communication has to start with telling the truth, even when it’s painful.
- Character. A leader has to be a person of character. Know the difference between right and wrong and having the guts to do the right thing. Abraham Lincoln once said, “If you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
- Courage. I’m talking about balls. Swagger isn’t courage. Tough talk isn’t courage. Courage doesn’t mean posturing and bravado. Courage is a commitment to sit down at the negotiating table and talk. Courage means taking a position even when you know it will cost you.
- Conviction. Fire in your belly. Passion. You’ve got to really want to get something done.
- Charisma. The quality that makes people want to follow you. The ability to inspire and generate trust.
- Competence. You’ve got to know what you’re doing. More important, you’ve got to surround yourself with people who know what they’re doing.
- Common sense. Charlie Beacham’s rule. If you don’t know a dip of horseshit from a dip of vanilla ice cream, you’ll never make it.
Crisis. Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It’s easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk the story. True leaders step up during a crisis and apply all of the nine C’s!
