Powell as a provocateur
Harari (2003) describes Colin Powell as a provocateur, who being the most important military man and statesman in the United States, he is above all a gentleman, the personification of courtesy; his person is that of a gentleman who has the conviction that people with fear do not take initiatives or do not fulfill their responsibilities, which is reflected in their organizations. Powell sums up in his first lesson the following: "Being responsible sometimes means having to crush some people." Well, those leaders who are afraid of offending someone and expect everyone to act as they do, are installed on the path of mediocrity. Powell's career is centered on two main qualities:their great ability to adjust and adapt to change and to provide and anticipate situations that will produce change. As a leader, you consider that you have a duty to express your vision in simple terms that motivate others to follow you, since a good leader knows that being respected is more important "than being liked" and that performance is more important than popularity.. Where ensuring respect and the highest performance should be the way to gain loyalty and perhaps later, the affection of subordinates.Where ensuring respect and the highest performance should be the way to gain loyalty and perhaps later, the affection of subordinates.Where ensuring respect and the highest performance should be the way to gain loyalty and perhaps later, the affection of subordinates.
It raises five principles:
- Make performance and change priorities in the direction of the organization Define the rules of the new game and get everyone involved Make sure that the best are more satisfied than those of poor performance Get rid of those of poor performance Consider the possibility that if no one considers himself crushed, perhaps you are not pushing hard enough.
Promote a clash of ideas
Powell makes some recommendations to create a suitable environment within the organization are referred to in its principles:
- Maintain a real open door system Encourage a noisy system Use all methods at your fingertips to create greater communication and never let rank or hierarchies get in the way Use technology to increase the level of communication Avoid barriers and internal wars that they impede communication.
The Pride Trap
Leaders cannot link their egos or their positions to the "status quo", since social and economic changes are always affecting and changing society and its principles are:
- Watch what's happening today and monitor the environment for tomorrow Challenge prevailing wisdom Beware of competitive myopia Make change mean growth.
Never go looking for the no
Powell says that effective leaders have the obligation to create an environment where people feel that they themselves have the authority and the obligation to pressure so that initiatives are fulfilled and performance is increased, within its principles it has:
- You will never know what you can get until you try, so give it a try, live by the military saying "without courage there is no glory" Do your best by pursuing every option. Do or make everyone want to strive. Don't punish failures Don't invest in organizations that punish risk-takers.
The disorganizing boss
Another characteristic of Colin Powell as an effective leader is that he does not get carried away by superficial “half truths” analysis, he prefers to inquire with open eyes and be alert until he finds the necessary elements, hence the following principles:
- Be a Disorganizer Don't Accept the Value of Things for Their Appearance Remember that Success Can Lead to Failure and that Complacency is the Enemy Put Truth and Integrity Above Everything Else Dig Something Else
When to challenge the "pros"
Powell believes that leadership requires moral, physical, mental, and spiritual courage. Where challenging the pros is something that is done to obtain a better solution that allows the organization to fulfill its mission and objectives, for this it proposes:
- Challenge the pros in your own business in order to get a better solution Maintain dignity, respect and honor while you disagree with something Be patient Establish a framework in which everyone feels free to say what What do you think.
Powell on strategy and organization
When establishing your mission remember that it has only two elements: 1) Stay very close to your enemy, and destroy him through attacks and maneuvers, 2) Meditate on the reasons for existing. The message is clear, it says that the mission must be established so that it is simple, clear and understandable; This mission must be linked to the resources and tactics that are available in your organization.
- Execution is the key. Pick your battles. Stay flexible. Remember Powell's Three Cs: Clarity, Commitment and Consistency. Keep It Simple.
The people above the plans
A good leader treats all people as his companions and partners, always looking for a way to be a " servant leader " and recommends:
- Count on people more than plans or structures Assume people are competent and all work is important until proven otherwise Spend at least 50 percent of your time with people View people as colleagues regardless of the place they occupy in the hierarchy of the organization.
Watch the details
Successful leaders know and understand that mission and details are inseparable when the company operates in such a volatile and competitive environment. The details direct the direction and attending them helps us to determine what is the best course of action and how to implement it quickly, decisively and efficiently raises the following principles:
- Control the details before and during the launch of a large project or campaign Use mastery of the details for big decisions and great execution. Stay in touch with the “little things.” Avoid analysis that causes paralysis.
Each situation determines the strategy
One of the keys to Powell's philosophy lies in its emphasis on flexibility and imagination in action, the fact that conditions are always changing means that the leader must be ready to take action whenever necessary; so he recommends:
- Don't steer management by fads Be prepared to change when necessary Never fight the last war Stick to change rather than manage it.
Powell's Rules for Selecting People
Powell recommends that the people who will be placed as leaders in the future be selected based on their talents and values and not on their resumes. And consider as key elements:
- Intelligence and judgment The ability to anticipate and see around corners Loyalty Integrity Balanced ego Dynamism and drive
It also recommends looking for alignment in the similarity of values, since you should not promote or choose someone who does not share the same values within the organization.
Powell's character
According to Powell, you cannot just rely on the authority you have within the organization to exercise leadership, but you must earn the trust of people and motivate them to do great things. Likewise, Powell tells us that optimism alone is not enough to be a great leader, but it is a necessary element because it is a capacity that can lead to great results. Powell recommends that optimism be present at our work table and that advice is never sought from the fearful and the negative. It also says that you never allow work to consume you, nor that this is the only reason for your existence, there must be a balance between work and family.
Bibliography
HARARI, O. (2002). The leadership secrets of Colin Powell. United States of America: McGraw-Hill.
In the interview, which you can watch below (3 videos, 38 minutes), Colin Powell talks about the role of the leader, his vision of leadership and presents what he learned and lived as a leader during many years in the public service of his country.
