Sometimes, when you hear and watch things over and over, it is easy to begin to believe in them as truth. Lately, it seems there is a lot of talk about "toughness" being an exemplary trait of LEADERSHIP. It seems to be popularly characterized, not by one's character and integrity as a leader, but in who can talk tough, be aggressive in their language, relying on the use of combative words, like "annihilate" and "destroy;" and always be first with a "surprise attack." When I flash on great leaders in history or even ones I worked for and with, I don't recall these qualities.

My questions for you... Is "toughness" what we need most in our leaders at all levels of business and society today? ...more aggression, more "toughness," more mean-spirited actions? Is it really "tough talk" that demonstrates a steadfast, committed, influential leader?

When I think about this question myself, I find myself drawn back to what I learned at IBM as a leader that has passed the test of time. One example: When IBM was beginning its transformation back in the 1990s, we used the results of a study shared in a now classic book entitled The Leadership Challenge . What I remember is there were four traits that people said they most admired in their leaders:

• Honesty
• Forward looking
• Competence
• Inspiration

How do you think these traits stack up today?

debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Contributing Author
Greater IBM Connection
Founder, President & CEO
Global Dialogue Center and
Leadership Solutions Companies
www.globaldialoguecenter.com
author, Putting Our Differences to Work (Berrett-Koehler June 2008)
IBMer 1970 - 1991 L.A.; Anchorage; Seattle; San Francisco