Source: https://leadmin.org/articlesarchive/22-rules-for-leaders
Don’t you wish someone had a set of hard-and-fast rules for leadership? If you just did these things then success is assured! Rules, though, typically come from the hard lessons of experience. When you see a list like this, know that along the way, each one came at a high price for one or more leaders. It’s not exhaustive, but consider if living by these might make you a more influential leader and more successful in life and business:
1. Be honest. Embrace truth at all times, and transparency in your leadership. Listen to and learn from criticism. You can’t be a great leader and a liar at the same time.
2. Don’t waste energy. Do not put resources and effort into things you cannot control or change. Being a strong leader isn’t about making everything perfect.
3. Integrity is power. Be honorable and professional. Never try to justify deceit. When you say something, mean it. Be unwavering in your moral code, and consider carefully those values that you want to embody.
4. Lead by example. Great leaders embrace the actions, behaviors, and habits they want to inspire in others.
5. Influence at every opportunity. As a leader you have influence over your organization. Your work habits, attitude and goals, even personally, will set the tone and culture for your work environment.
6. Pursue fairness. Don’t put who you like over the equitable treatment of everyone you work with, in all situations. Everyone should be able to count on you to be unbiased and a great mediator.
7. People before everything. Lead in a way that inspires your employees and empowers them to do their best work. Treat them well. And if it comes between profit and people, always choose the people. Never forget that your team, not your product, not your bank account, is your number-one asset.
8. Pass it on. You are not the first leader and you will not be the last. Look for those who have leadership potential and pour in to them. Give others an opportunity to sit at the head of the table, and help them learn what it means to lead.
9. Adopt a learning lifestyle. You will never know it all. The best leaders make leadership development a priority; they’re constantly working on increasing their emotional intelligence, cultivating new skills, and growing, both as a leader and as a person.
10. Look to the future. Know where the organization needs to go to succeed, and clearly communicate that vision to your team. Always be talking about the big picture. People want to know the end-goal they are working toward.
11. Execute every day. Leadership is in part about getting things done. Assign accountability, delegate where you can and keep the engine running smoothly. The discipline of continuous execution separates the great leader from the mediocre.
12. Take responsibility. Never spend time trying to place the blame. Let the buck stop with you. When you have problems, own them on the way to fixing them.
13. Communicate well. Let your team know what is happening. Plan ahead and talk ahead. Remember too that part of good communication is listening. Also, this does not mean to just send people a ton of emails and text messages.
14. Provide the best tools you can. Give your team the equipment they need to do their jobs well. Nobody wants a computer with the spinning hourglass every time they click the mouse. Investing in modern technology and tools is some of the best money you will spend.
15. Keep your promises. If you promise to do something, make sure you do it. And give it 100%. You cannot build trust with those you lead if you are constantly breaking your commitments.
16. Find balance. If you are consistently working all night long, you are doing something wrong. You will eventually burn out, and even before that your leadership will suffer. Don't wear your overwhelming schedule as a badge of honor.
17. Do your research. Family and friends are great to bounce ideas off of, but never make decisions without digging deep into all available information. If you are exploring something new, launching a product, reorganizing a division—make sure you have expert advice and data on which to base your thinking.
18. Lawyer up. When it comes to partnerships, who is in control, who writes the checks, how the hard calls are made—make sure you do your due diligence. Have a strong legal framework to fall back on if the poop ever hits the fan. Because at some point it likely will.
19. Fail forward. Look at setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow. Beating yourself up—or worse, your team—doesn’t solve anything and doesn’t move the organization forward.
20. Hire the gaps. Know your strengths. Where you are weak, let others fill in those holes. No leader is great at everything.
21. Give back. The Bible tells us to serve others. When you have resources, don’t forget those in need. Value your ability as a person and as a leader of an organization to be generous.
22. Take time for yourself. If you're in it just for the money, you'll never know true success. Do not be married to your work. If you are not enjoying life, then what’s the point?
Source: https://scaleupgrowth.co/blog/20-rules-every-ceo-should-follow/
Being a CEO isn’t just a title; it’s a way of life that demands a fine balance of leadership, empathy, and vision. As I navigate the ever-changing landscape of business, I’ve come up with 20 personal rules that help me stay focused, keep my team aligned, and drive us toward shared success. These aren’t just rules; they’re the core principles shaping my daily actions and decisions. Read on to see if these can be your guiding stars too.
Look After Yourself. My business needs me at 100%. I eat well, sleep well, and exercise.
Keep Learning. The world won’t wait for me. I read, I study, I grow.
Value Your Team. They’re my most prized asset. If I invest in them, they invest in me.
Listen First, Speak Last. The room’s wisdom often outsmarts mine. I give everyone a voice before I use mine.
Be Clear. If I expect people to follow, they need to understand where I’m leading them.
Keep It Simple. The best path is often the most direct one. I take it.
Think Long-Term. Short-term gains can mean long-term loss. I avoid that trap.
Who Before How. Is a game-changer. It shifted my focus from doing everything myself to finding the right people for the job.
Know My Numbers. Money moves my business, and I know where it’s going.
Admit My Mistakes. If I mess up, I own it. It’s the only way to move forward.
Celebrate Wins. A win for one is a win for all. I make sure we all feel it.
Share the Spotlight. My team’s wins are my wins. They get the credit they deserve.
No Agenda, No Meeting. Time is my most valuable asset. I don’t waste it on useless meetings. If you can’t make an agenda, I won’t show up. It’s that simple.
Be Kind. Kindness costs nothing but gains everything.
Keep Promises. When I give my word, it’s as good as gold.
Be Approachable. My door is open, literally and figuratively.
Stay Humble. No matter how high I climb, I remember it’s a long way down.
Show Up Early. The early bird gets the worm, and I aim to get it every day.
Take Breaks. Even engines need to cool down. So do I.
Set Boundaries. My time is a limited resource. I guard it fiercely.
Follow these rules, and you’re not just a CEO. You’re a leader. You’re a motivator. You’re on the path to greatness.
Source: https://datascience.virginia.edu/news/ten-simple-rules-good-leadership
Over the years, I have had the opportunity to work directly with a number of leaders in science. I define these as people who lead their own laboratories, departments and schools within universities, universities themselves, national laboratories and funding agencies, like NIH, hereafter referred to as organizations. Some are distinguished scientists with Nobel Prizes, National Medals and members of various academies. What makes some of them good leaders? My answer is personal and subjective. Note the “some of them” reference. Being a good scientist does not necessarily equate to good leadership, although there is some correlation, particularly in an era when science is a team sport requiring multiple types of expertise which needs to be led. Likewise, good leadership does not necessarily need to reflect good management skills. You can have thought leaders, but those leaders need to be able to delegate management tasks.
In broad terms, I would classify leaders of two types, enabling and autocratic. Surprisingly, both can be successful as regards the success of the organizations they lead, but autocrats make it a much less pleasant working environment for those who do the work of the organization, whether it be a lab or a larger organization. What follows are the rules for being an enabling leader who believes what is best for the individual is best for the organization. For each rule I have provided an example from my own observations that exemplifies that rule.
Rule 1: Lead by Example
You cannot expect of others what you would not expect of yourself. If you expect others to work long hours, you need to work longer. If you expect others to meet deadlines, you need to meet them yourself, and so on. Leading by example leads to being respected for what you do on behalf of the organization. Being respected is a must for good leadership and it is not given, but earned over time. A leader I respected came to stay at our house having given a lecture the night before at my university to great acclaim. That day they were to have a fireside chat with me in front of a live audience. Were they sleeping in basking in the events of the night before? No, they were up before dawn doing their days work prior to this extra activity. Observing such dedication obviously sticks with one.
Rule 2: Be Humble
A great organization is facilitated by a good leader, but not solely the result of one. Recognize that and be humble. If you are building a great organization, there needs to be people who are smarter than you and better at doing certain things than you are. You can't be the best at everything. Recognize this while rewarding and celebrating others for the skills they bring to the organization. Your team will respect you for it. Give credit whenever possible and take little for yourself. Say “we” instead of “I” as often as possible. Credit will come to you anyway if you are humble and leading an organization well. A Nobel Laureate I know, even though they are supporting the science, will not put their name on the paper unless they feel they have made a significant hands-on scientific contribution to the work at hand, being both humble and showing integrity.
Rule 3: Be Inclusive, Equitable and Personal
We all like to be called out or otherwise recognized. You do, I do, so why wouldn’t others? When calling people out, it's important to accurately recognize their contributions and be sure to include all who contributed. However, don’t be frivolous with such praise which will dilute its value.
Inclusion starts with recognizing the individual and that begins with their name. I have seen great leaders be introduced to twenty people around the room and remember their names without writing them down. Some of us don't have that ability, but addressing them by their name, even if you need to write it down and then look it up, speaks to the value of an individual. Beyond names, it’s knowing people for who they are, not just for what they do for the organization. The personal/human touch is very important. As far as possible get to know all you lead as colleagues with personalities, families, and interesting backgrounds. Be unbiased. Treat all team members equally in all aspects of operating the organization.
Rule 4: Lead by Consensus and Shared Governance
Autocrats tend to lead by fiat leaving others to feel worthless or, at best, not fully appreciated. Enabling leaders seek opinions from a broad swath of people within the organization and act by consensus, or at the very least, explain in an open and transparent way why they are making a decision that goes against the consensus. A renown leader I know would be sure they had the views of all the interviewees when they met with the job candidate at the end of the day. That input would immediately figure into the calculation of whether to hire this person. I was one such person that was hired that way.
Rule 5: Be Caring
People define an organization. Good leaders care for their people. It follows that the best organizations attract the best people–the word gets around–and can retain the best people. Caring means being compassionate, listening to those who look to you for leadership, and being empathic regarding family situations and other disruptions. COVID has amplified the importance of this approach.
Caring pays off not just for the organization but for the leader. My own personal example is when a former student, now a professor, was on the search committee for a leadership position where I was a candidate. Our prior relationship did not influence his support – I had mentored him well – but presumably knowing of my caring first hand supported that important element of my value to the organization.
Rule 6: Be Visionary
Those in the organization will look to you to lead. Your vision will go a long way in defining the organization. If done right, it will appear as a collective vision. Everyone in the organization will feel they are part of creating the vision. In a way, your job is to seed the vision and enable others to refine, nurture and promote the vision as their own. Strategic plans have a role to play here. They offer a roadmap for all to follow. You will be successful when others speak of your vision as their own and you are proud of them doing so. Adoption is the highest compliment.
When our new university president and provost were appointed, they set about developing a strategic plan which took enormous efforts through surveys, town halls and other forums to capture the views of all stakeholders (see Rule 3). That so-called “2030 plan” was then embodied in a single statement, “Be Both Great and Good.” Many stakeholders, including myself, use the phrase frequently. A simple statement of their vision shared by all in the organization.
Rule 7: Be Decisive
Some leadership decisions are hard. There is not always a clear decision, and people and the organization will be impacted. An element of risk-taking is then necessary. Decisions should not be made based on how people in the organization will react to them, but on what you believe is right for the organization. What is worse is to not make a decision and leave the organization in an indecisive state. Good leaders will make less than optimal decisions on occasion. The important thing to remember is to be transparent with all stakeholders explaining why decisions were made and to work together towards a successful outcome. It is also important to acknowledge when you make a wrong decision and correct the mistake in a timely way in consultation with your team members.
An example I have seen a number of times occurs in hiring. The search committee and other stakeholders are split between who to hire and the leader has to make the decision. Being less than decisive may mean losing both candidates to other jobs, whereas making a decision will upset half your stakeholders. A good leader takes all features of both candidates into consideration as well of input from all stakeholders and makes very clear why the choice is being made and expects all to respect the choice when the candidate they did not choose comes on board.
Rule 8: Get the Right People on the Bus and Let Them Define the Route
This is arguably the most important rule and implies you should pay close attention to who you hire. As I mentioned above, people define the organization. Hiring the right people for your organization is everything. In small organizations, one person who is a bad fit can upset the entire organization. Science thrives on innovation and so do organizations. Give your team members room to innovate. Don't be over prescriptive as this will hobble smart people. Also, be adaptive yourself. The directions you take may not be what you originally planned. The smartest people with the best credentials may not be the best hires if they don't have the personality or hunger to help the organization thrive. This is a fine balance in a scientific organization where the work of individuals is important. It may take mistakes to get it right.
As stated, the right people will be smarter than you are. The autocratic leader will find it hard to hire such people which leads to suboptimal organizations where the best and brightest have been turned away.
A great leader I worked for did not give me the position I wanted and I moved on. However, I respected them for that decision, even initially, because they obeyed all the rules here. Over time observing the person that did get the job, I realized I would not have been the best fit which would have left me and the organization not performing at our best.
Rule 9: Delegate
You can't do everything yourself. As an organization grows, this becomes more and more apparent. You need to surround yourself with a manageable number of direct reports that you fully trust to do the work of the organization. This applies even at the level of a small individual lab when it grows and the more senior, experienced members take on a leadership role.
In a larger organization, such as a university or funding agency, the dean will have a small number of associate deans as direct reports and the director will have a small number of deputy directors, respectively. In highly functional organizations these deputies are trusted and respected by the leader and have different skill sets which, when taken together, enrich the whole enterprise.
Rule 10: Enjoy the Experience but Know When to Stop
Contentment with the role you play in the organization is contagious. If you are not inspired by what you are doing, how can others be? If you are not enjoying being a leader, either you are not cut out for the job or you are not leading the right kind of organization. You need to ask yourselves these difficult questions. There may also be a temporal nature to your happiness. Leading a small organization is different from building a small organization into a large one and leading that. Know when to come and when to leave.
I had the good fortune to watch a great leader build a new school within a great university prior to undertaking such an endeavor myself. That leader obeyed these 10 rules, but also knew when it was time to step aside. In doing so they had built a team to continue and they had a succession plan that meant the organization kept moving forward after they left. Hopefully I have learnt that lesson as well.
There you have it. It is never too early to start thinking about leadership. There are endless books, videos, and courses on leadership. They may offer you better advice on being a leader. The most influential book I have read was “From Good to Great” by Jim Collins. Let me reiterate, that for me, most of what I have learnt about leadership and embodied in these rules was gained by observing leaders who I came to respect for what they have done for organizations. I acknowledge a few of them below. I like to think they have served me well in my own quest to be a good leader.
Source: https://medium.com/thinkdraft/7-stoic-beliefs-that-will-make-you-mentally-stronger-than-90-people-7d9a29d49204
1. Focus on what you can control.
The Belief: You have power over your thoughts and actions, but not external events or other people.
How it Builds Strength: By recognizing this, you find steadiness when facing difficulties in work, family, or relationships, as you direct your energy toward your internal state rather than attempting to change the unchangeable.
2. Accept the truth and live according to nature.
The Belief: Nature serves as a great mentor, and accepting its truths and smooth flow of life allows for smoother living.
How it Builds Strength: This acceptance reduces resistance to life's inevitable changes, allowing you to flow with circumstances instead of fighting them.
3. Cultivate virtue and self-conquest.
The Belief: True happiness and strength come from cultivating inner virtue (wisdom, justice, courage) and conquering your own desires, not from external things or achievements.
How it Builds Strength: This internal focus builds a strong, unshakeable inner core that cannot be shaken by external forces or fleeting circumstances.
4. Embrace human connection and prioritize community.
The Belief: No one is an island; we are all connected, and prioritizing self-interest to the exclusion of others leads to suffering.
How it Builds Strength: By treating others with respect and prioritizing community, you foster supportive relationships and a sense of belonging, which are crucial for a well-lived life.
5. Manage your emotions through reason and discipline.
The Belief: Emotions like fear and anger can be paralyzing and destructive, but reason and discipline are powerful remedies.
How it Builds Strength: By returning to reason during moments of confusion or temptation, you build mental clarity, discipline, and structure that can't be shaken by external forces.
6. Reflect on your mortality.
The Belief: Acknowledging your own mortality, rather than fearing it, helps you to live more fully and appreciate the time you have.
How it Builds Strength: This perspective can inspire you to make the most of each day and appreciate the precious privilege of life.
7. Live with consistency and self-respect.
The Belief: Your direction is internal, and you build self-respect by ensuring your actions consistently align with your values.
How it Builds Strength: This consistency removes the stress of trying to please everyone and creates a stable, unwavering sense of self that others cannot manipulate or break.