AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP, SUCCESSION PLANNING & TRANSITIONING

In his new book "True North" (Jossey-Bass), Bill George discusses the results of 125 interviews with leaders aged 23 to 93 leading to his principles of an "authentic" approach to leadership. George is former CEO of Medtronic Inc., now teaching management at the Harvard Business School and serving as a director of Goldman Sachs Group, Exxon Mobil Corp and Novartis AG. His principles for becoming an authentic leader are:

*   Empower subordinates, but hold them accountable.

*   Seek feedback from mentors

*   Being good at something doesn't mean you love it; seek to satisfy your motives and your skills.

*   Remember that employees want meaning and significance, not just money.

*   Stay true to your values, even under significant pressure.

In an interview in the Wall Street Journal (December 3, 2007), George said about balancing the desire to empower subordinates with the demand for immediate business results: "We've got to get back to giving people opportunities at very young ages to step up and lead without risking the firm... People have to learn early. Then when you get to higher-level positions you don't repeat those kinds of mistakes."

He quotes Jeff Imelt, CEO of General Electric: "Leadership is a long journey into your own soul." This means there's a time to get feedback, and then you've got to pull back and say, "What am I made of?"

With the need to have young partners and executives prepare for succession and Generation Y/Millennials impatient to move into significant roles, George's principles and encouragement to empower subordinates to lead are well taken.

George said the greatest learning from the interviews was that leadership was not about traits and characteristics but rather that people found the passion to lead from their experiences.

Phyllis Weiss Haserot     www.pdcounsel.com