The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader - Discernment

We continue our learning and growing with the lessons contained in John C. Maxwell’s book titled The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. This book carries the subtitle: "Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow".

Everything rises and falls on leadership. And leadership truly develops from the inside out. If you can become the leader you ought to be on the inside, you will be able to become the leader you want to be on the outside. People will want to follow you.

Quality #7 - Discernment:  Put an end to unsolved mysteries.

“Smart leaders believe only half of what they hear.  Discerning leaders know which half to believe."  John C. Maxwell
 

"Life is not easy for any of us," Madame Curie once said. "But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this must be attained."

Curie observed, "Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood."

Discernment can be described as the ability to find the root of the matter, and it relies on intuition as well as rational thought.

Discernment is an indispensable quality for any leader who desires to maximize effectiveness. It helps to do several important things

1. Discover the Root Issues.
   1. Researcher Henry Mintzberg of McGill University stated, "Organizational effectiveness does not lie in that narrow-minded concept called rationality. It lies in the blend of clearheaded logic and powerful intuition."
   2. Discernment enables a leader to see a partial picture, fill in the missing pieces intuitively, and find the real heart of the matter.
2. Enhance Your Problem Solving.
   1. If you see the root issue of a problem, you can solve it.
   2. If you want to tap into your discernment potential, work in your areas of strength.
3. Evaluate Your Options for Maximum Impact.  
   1. Management consultant Robert Heller has this advice: "Never ignore a gut feeling, but never believe that it's enough."
4. Multiply Your Opportunities.
   1. Although great leaders often appear to be lucky to some observers, I believe leaders create their own "luck" as the result of discernment, that willingness to use their experience and follow their instincts.

Are you a discerning leader? If not, you need to cultivate it. Value nontraditional thinking. Embrace change, ambiguity, and uncertainty.  Broaden your horizons experientially. Your intuition will only increase with use.

“The first rule of holes: When you're in one, stop digging." Molly Ivins, columnist

Bringing it home:

1. Analyze past successes.
   1. Look at some problems you solved successfully in the past.
   2. If you can capture the heart of the matter in a few words, you can probably learn to do it with future issues.
2. Learn how others think.
   1. By learning how other discerning leaders think, you can become more discerning.
3. Listen to your gut.
1. Try to recall times when your intuition "spoke" to you and was correct.
2. Look for a pattern that may give you insight into your intuitive ability.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc