Leadership Defined

What is good leadership? For that matter, what is good ITleadership? These two deceptively simple questions came to mindwhile I was formulating the concept for the cover story, Make aWish. Leadership is a trait a CEO and CIO likely would seek in eachother. So, how would it be defined?

At times, its easier to explain terms by what they arentin thiscase, the former CEOs of WorldCom, Enron, Tyco, and ImClone, amongothers, probably could serve as poster children for how not tolead. But thats taking the easy and too-well-trodden way out. Thisapproach doesnt provide a useful guide to what leadership entailstoday. Given the volumes of verbiage on the subject, I wont attemptan end-all definition in these short two columns, but maybe I cancook up some food for thought, using the insights of several smartpeople as ingredients.

The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity.Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is ona section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.(Dwight David Eisenhower, 34th U.S. President.) That means havingthe honesty and backbone to admit when a proj-ect is a failure, totell management when cutting costs will reduce quality, or to goout on a limb for, say, a critical infrastructure initiative thatmay draw a blank stare from the business side. That also meansmaking decisions, taking responsibility for them, and giving creditand criticism when due.

Leaders keep their eye on the horizon, not just on the bottomline. (Warren G. Bennis, author of more than 25 books onleadership.) A pearl of wisdom, especially given recent pennypinching. It includes having a vision of ones own that links withthe greater business mission and also envisioning how to achieveboth.

I must follow the people. Am I not their leader? (BenjaminDisraeli, British prime minister.) The two leadership qualitiesabove are a piece of cake compared with this one. Integrity andvision largely are within a leaders control. To get the bestresults, people should not be. Instead, those in charge mustenable, motivate, and, most important, listen.

Theres a way to do it betterfind it. (Thomas Edison, scientistand inventor.) Now if that doesnt sum up the function of ITleadership, what does?

In speaking with CIOs about what they want from CEOs, much ofthe above is assumed, though hardly taken for granted. CIOs alsoexpress appreciation for CEOs who are open to technology andinclude IT as an equal partner. Likewise, many CEOs want IT to be abusiness partner

While some traits hold firm no matter what, as stated above,this is far from the last word on leadership, and I doubt thereever could be one given lifes complexity. Case in point, heresanother perspective on the subject from Groucho Marx: Only one manin a thousand is a leader of menthe other 999 follow women. Wonderwhether any B-schools ever considered that one?

Sharon S. Schwartzman
Editor-in-Chief