The Four Factors of Effective Leadership

Welcome!

If this is your first visit, this post will give you a brief introduction.

In 2006, I wrote my first book, The Four Factors of Effective Leadership. It has sold fairly well and I still make presentations on the topic regularly. Many of the people that read my Freak Factor blog either have the book or seminar DVD.

The book is the result of my search for information on how to become an effective leader. The primary thesis of the book is that there are four common themes (Influence, Integrity, Inspiration, Improvement) that appear in the many books and articles dedicated to leadership development. In other words, you can't read anything on leadership without encountering one of the four factors. When I wrote the book, I included stories and examples that illustrated each factor. However, after finishing the book, I continued to find great supporting information that I wanted to share and I started this blog for that purpose.

If you haven't read the book, this will be a good introduction. If you've already read the book, these new posts will refresh your memory and add to what you've already learned.

Whether you are a parent, teacher, coach, manager or aspire to any of these roles, the four factors will help you to increase your effectiveness. I look forward to interacting with you in the pages below.

Martin Luther King Jr.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday I've included an excerpt from Factor 3: Inspiration in The Four Factors of Effective Leadership.

Dr. King personified inspiration. He had a powerful sense of personal mission and believed he was called to lead his people out of oppression. His words rallied millions of people to join the cause of justice for black Americans. He gave courage to people who had been discouraged and hope to people who were hopeless.

King also demonstrated significant perseverance as he pursued his vision. He spent time in jail on a number of occasions. In fact, his book Letter from a Birmingham Jail, had a profound impact on the civil rights movement in America. His house was bombed and he received constant death threats. During one march in the South, he was struck in the head with a brick and he was stabbed during a book signing in New York. Finally, he was killed because of his commitment to the cause of liberty. He was willing to endure imprisonment, physical abuse and even death to fulfill his vision. His life and violent death are a testimony to the power of inspiration.

King's life and death propose at least one very difficult question that all leaders must eventually answer. King gave his life to fulfill the dream. What are you willing to endure in order to achieve your vision?

If you want to learn more, I recommend Donald T. Phillips' book Martin Luther King. Jr. on Leadership and the PBS Video Citizen King, which you might be able to catch on TV tonight.

Integrity and Leadership

Stosh has a thought-provoking blog post about integrity and leadership. Here's an excerpt.

"Not everyone who has integrity is a leader.  Many people conduct themselves in a manner that is above reproach, but do so privately, not intending to have influence on others as a consequence of their integrity, or perhaps seeking to influence only those closest to them.  It is a kind of leadership by example, but it is passive, not expansive.

Leadership, then, not only embraces integrity, but also compels others to live according to shared ideals.  It is intentional.  It seeks an audience, even a spotlight.  Here the example of the individual leader can be broadcast, modeled, developed, even prized."

This is an important distinction. In The Four Factors, I argue that leadership starts from the Inside-Out. Internal effectiveness is a prerequisite for interpersonal success. For example, as it relates to integrity, personal trustworthiness is a prerequisite for trusting relationships.

As Stosh explains, integrity is necessary but not sufficient. People need to see our integrity before they can be influenced by it. How could you "broadcast" your integrity? What could you do to make your integrity more "expansive?"

How do you want to go out?

I've been thinking about starting this blog for a long time. I guess I just needed something to get me going. When I started my first blog, a movie provided the initial inspiration. It is the same for the second one as well.

I'm watching The Kingdom starring Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner, which follows the FBI's investigation of a terrorist attack on American families living in Saudi Arabia. The decision to send an American team was not popular with the politicians in Washington and the FBI director was receiving strong pressure and threats. Here is his response to the threat of losing his job:

"Once we clued in to the fact that life is finite, the thought of losing it didn't scare us anymore. The end comes no matter what. The only thing that matters is how do you want to go out? On your feet or on your knees?"

That's good stuff. Each day leaders are faced with temptations to do what is easiest instead of doing what is right. If they succumb, these small failures eventually erode their will and their strength. They think that by giving in they extend their reign or their reach, but that is because they are asking the wrong questions. How can I look good? How can I win favor?

Instead, they should be asking "How do I want to go out, on my feet or on my knees?"

Next time you are faced with a decision to either give in to what you know is wrong or stand up for what is right, next time you are tempted to sacrifice your integrity, ask yourself that question, "How do I want to go out?"