They’re out there, natural leaders, that is. These are people who make leadership seem as easy and ordinary as riding a bike. They have a measured way about them and just seem, intuitively, to know what to do and how to do it.

A Lunch Meeting

I happened to have lunch recently with a natural leader, a CEO in the energy sector. I’ve always known him to be highly effective, possessing a certain non-anxious poise. So, I asked him: What are your leadership essentials or non-negotiables? Without hesitating, here’s what he said:

1. Trust (doing the right thing)
2. Confidentiality (keeping some items “in the vault,” i.e. compensation, employee relations issues)
3. Accountability (following through)
4. High-Quality Work (high-standards and expectations)
5. A Shared Consciousness (effective communication and buy-in)

I was impressed that, again, it all came so easily and intuitively.

Natural AND Intentional

Shortly after our meeting he sent me a follow up email where he elaborated more on some of these items. It turns out that behind all of this naturalness is a good dose of deliberateness! Actually, he has been working on a one-page What to Expect From Me document since 2005. He was inspired to create this when he was in an organization that moved people around a lot. He saw it as an efficient and effective way for people to get to know him quickly. And it worked!

Here’s what he created with summary notes under each section:

• My Values
• What Drives Me
• My Natural Strengths and Style
• Expectations You Should Have of Me
• Expectations I Have of You
• My Hot Buttons
• Five Questions Everyone Has (informing people that he’s aware of potential concerns)
• My Leadership Aspiration (a summary)

Wow! Knowing this leader, my sense is that all of this is born out of his innate desire to serve others well and deliver with excellence. It’s also worth noting that there’s not a shred of arrogance with him. Confidence, kindness, and drive yes. Arrogance, no. (Think Level 5 Leader from Jim Collins.)

I have no doubt that this leader’s leadership is very natural and learned from a young age. (He’s talked about learning key life lessons, for example, on his family’s Wyoming ranch as well as leveraging the Golden Rule.) AND this leader has thoughtfully nurtured his leadership thinking and behaviors over the years.

The Point

The point here is not for someone to necessarily adopt this leader’s lists. The point is that we all might do well to be cultivating our own thoughts and one-pagers with great intention. Our definitions of leadership must be our own if we’re going to own them fully. And this kind of ownership and deliberation will take some investment.

Don’t “Wing” Leadership

Natural-born athletes train constantly. They don’t wing it. (An example of this is pitchers practicing in the bullpen just before they get to the mound.)

We firmly hold to the belief that leadership can be learned, through deliberate practice. No matter what a person’s background is, a willingness to cultivate and develop can go a long way. The question is: Are you willing to make the investment?