The “If 16″ Leadership Framework©

In December, I posed two questions in this blog.  First, “What leadership advice could a 21^st-century leader, possibly get (or want) from a 19^th-century poem?” and “What can an Information Age leader learn from a Victorian Age poem?”  That post began to explore the relevance of Kipling’s ‘If-’ for today’s leaders.  ‘If-’ describes a path leaders may choose to follow.  Each of the poem’s sixteen couplets describes an essential leadership attribute. 

By incorporating the concepts of awareness and choice, they form a comprehensive leadership framework that I call the “If 16.”©  The framework includes the following sixteen leadership attributes: 

1. Composure – The Power to Keep Your Head
2. Character – The Wisdom to Know and Trust Yourself
3. Patience – The Strength to Endure
4. Selflessness – The Ability to Put Your Cause and Beliefs Ahead of Yourself
5. Vision – The Power of Having and Sharing a Dream
6. Self-Efficacy – The Confidence to Gain from Triumph and Disaster
7. Integrity – The Wisdom to Know the Truth and the Strength to Defend It
8. Resilience – The Ability to Bounce Back from Adversity
9. Boldness – The Ability to See and Seize Opportunities
10. Accountability – The Will to Take Ownership Regardless of the Outcome
11. Courage – The Ability to Face the Dangers When They Become Real
12. Stamina – The Will to Hold On When You Have Nothing Left
13. Authenticity – The Resolve Always to Be Yourself
14. Inspiration – The Ability to Connect With and Motivate Friends and Foes
15. Enthusiasm – The Energy to Fill Every Minute
16. Ambition – The Will to Make the World What You Want It to Be

Like awareness and choice, these are very simple words and concepts.  The difficulty comes when we decide to put them to use.  Notice that the primary focus of these attributes is on the leader rather than those we lead.  Followers are essential to leadership, but becoming a leader starts with the leader. 

Before we can lead others, we must know ourselves.  Before we can challenge others, we must challenge ourselves.  Before we can motivate others, we must first be motivated.  This idea of focusing on oneself first seems to run counter to many leadership theories, but it has ancient roots.  In the sixth century B.C., Lao Tzu wrote, “He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.”  Leaders understand that self-awareness precedes self-mastery, and both precede leading others.

No one is born with the ability to be a leader.  Throughout our leadership journeys, we gain experience and perspective, which allow us to grow and learn.  But growing and learning are not certain.  They depend on awareness and choice.  This requires critical self-examination and a rigorous regular inventory of our skills.  Knowing the attributes we possess helps us expose those we lack. 

By understanding and applying The If 16 Leadership Framework©, we can become the powerful and effective leaders we are capable of being.  Over the next eight weeks, I will explore the “If 16” attributes in more detail.