In the past 10 years, ISHR Group has assessed, developed and coached hundreds of leaders from around the world. We have harvested a tremendous amount of data on precisely those competencies, attributes and skills that make a leader great. We know that every individual has a compelling personal story, and that story is a key factor in who they are and how they lead. While we have assembled enough data to write a book, we just haven't gotten there yet! Perhaps we will one day soon. In the meantime, we have harnessed our collective insights, mind power, discoveries and experiences and created a model that reflects how we talk about leadership. It begins with the premise that ‘superior leaders possess superior self-awareness.’ A closely linked concept is the notion that ‘what got you here, won’t necessarily get you there.’ The vital re-focusing is the next step — Leadership is leveraging your authentic self.

Our model is simple and powerful. It overlays personal leadership with business leadership. At the end of the day, the realization is clear and powerful: “it’s all about YOU.”

In case you haven't noticed, the alternating photos that appear across the top of our website pages each feature our signature 'i' along with a graphic representing one key facet of our leadership model!  To learn it is to live it!

Although there are certainly common attributes of successful leaders, we have found that they can come in all shapes, sizes, and styles… how you lead truly depends on who you are. We are often asked “what does it take” to be a successful leader. Below are our observations. 
 
Common Denominators

These are what we refer to as “the ticket to entry” in any discussion of leadership and the potential to assume larger roles in an organization.

Accountable: Doing what you say you’re going to do…having a high “say-do” ratio ... being dependable….delivering results…meeting or exceeding performance objectives.

Credible: Believable…being seen as doing the right thing vs. having any hidden agendas ... having built a solid foundation of experience that you are speaking from a base of knowledge.

Critical Thinker: Having courage in your convictions ... being able to make a decision without all the data ... knowing when to stop getting more input and “make the call.

Adaptable: Having the flexibility to adapt to internal changes in the organization or external fluctuations in the marketplace ... seeing change as a positive, as unearthing new possibilities vs. being resistant.

Resourceful: Not necessarily having the highest IQ, but having the resourcefulness and know-how to figure out how to get up to speed quickly in any new situation, whether it be through self study or leveraging the knowledge of others.

Differentiators

These are attributes that we don’t see very frequently, so when we do, they stand out as unique.

Maturity: Being aware of one’s own strengths and development opportunities ... owning mistakes vs. finger-pointing and rationalizing ... being self-confident (but not overly so) and authentic ... being comfortable with one’s own style, strengths, development areas.

Continuous Learner:  Being curious and non-complacent ... seeing development (both your own and that of the organization) as a journey vs. a destination ... seeking out and being open to feedback and ideas from others ... willing to stretch yourself vs. staying in comfort zone.

Passionate: Genuinely loving the “work” ... ability to “rally the troops” ... Radiating a positive, “can-do”, “glass half-full” attitude ... having an infectious enthusiasm ... being 'The Coach' others want to play for.

Continually Developing

As you would expect, there are areas where even the most successful leaders continually struggle and aspire to reach.  

Big Picture Thinker: Having a strategic, non-siloed approach ... wearing the “big hat” regarding vision, goals, business “levers”, decisions, processes, talent ... keeping abreast of the environment (customer, industry, competition, world) ... leading through creative, “out of the box”, innovative approaches & ideas.

Leadership Flexibility: Ability to adapt leadership style to motivate varying people/styles and situations ... leading different functions/businesses vs. one “you grew up in” ... mastering the transition from “uber -IC” to leading through others.

Ability To Influence: Communication savvy ... ability to tailor a message to the audience ... having 'executive presence' ... being memorable and impressionable ... proactively manages career ... builds a following ... people want to work for them regardless of role, location, business.