Rowley Associates

Jeffrey Immelt, Chairman and CEO of GE recently shared his leadership philosophy with cadets from the Military Academy at West Point. His talk emphasized 5-characteristics leaders in the 21^st Century will need if they and their businesses are to be successful. Its an interesting list and worth reflecting on. The 5 are:

1. The ability to listen – Immelt is very clear that leaders have to be better listeners. He comments, “This sounds simple … but are we really listening? Do we really engage with people who have different opinions; are we ready and willing to accept critical inputs?”
2. Systems thinking and managing ambiguity – The world is complex Immelt observes and success requires “problem solving, and “connecting the dots.”
3. The ability to move with speed – As organizations become larger momentum can slow to a glacial pace. The solution says Immelt is to “push decision-making down in the organization and delegate more”. Speed also requires trust. But warns Immelt, “trust can only be built on competency.” Without training and development no amount of delegation will be successful.
4. Balancing vision and execution. Leaders must motivate with vision but win through execution observes Immelt. Interestingly rather than charismatic leadership Immelt discuses the need for charismatic vision; a future state people can have an emotional connection to that inspires trust and commitment.
5. Respect – Leaders must like and respect people. They must tell them the truth. What Immelt also says that puts him a cut above other leaders of large-scale enterprises is that, “leaders share a common responsibility to narrow the gap between the weak and the strong.” He concludes, “The residue of the past was an individualistic “win-lose” game. The 21^st century is about building bigger missions with a culture of respect”.

Immelt’s leadership is evolving GE. It also sparked my thinking about the way leaders will have to think and feel differently if they are to build successful teams and businesses in the new Millennia. It’s also interesting to contrast Immelt’s list of leadership attributes with Dan Pink’s ‘A Whole New Mind’ and Howard Gardner’s ‘ ‘Five Minds for the Future’. You can download the complete copy of Immelt’s address here.