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LEADERSHIP EXCELLENCE AND
THE CORE 4 LEADERSHIP MODEL
REFERENCE RESOURCE
Perspective, Framework, Narratives, Definitions and Practices
Abstract This reference resource is intended to provide an in-depth and scholarly addition
to the Quick Guide, outlining in greater detail the philosophy, architecture and practice of Children’s Mercy Leadership Excellence and The Core 4 Leadership Model.
Developed by: CM Leadership Development HR | Organizational Development
Table of Contents
We Believe p. 1
8 Powerful Words p. 1
CM Leadership Excellence p. 1
Introduction to Servant-Leadership p. 1
The Importance of Our Leadership Values p. 2
Visualizing and Understanding LE and the Core 4 Model p. 2
How Does it Begin… p. 3
Lived Out… p. 4
For the Purpose of… p. 4
Visualizing Servant-Leadership p. 5
The CM LE Core 4 Master Slide p. 6
Managing Self Narrative p. 7
Defining the Managing Self Leadership Values p. 8
Mobilizing Others Narrative p. 9
Defining the Mobilizing Others Leadership Values p. 10
Cultivating Culture Narrative p. 11
Defining the Cultivating Culture Leadership Values p. 12
Challenging Systems Narrative p. 13
Defining the Challenging Systems Leadership Values p. 14
Practices and Demonstrations of The Core 4 Leadership Values p. 15
References p. 19
Recommended Readings p. 20
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We Believe We believe that infusing Children’s Mercy with life-giving servant-leadership at all levels, and within all
functions, is essential to our mission of improving the health and well-being of children in and around
Kansas City and beyond. We also believe anyone can exercise leadership because leadership is behavior
that doesn’t require a formal title or position of authority. As a result, Children’s Mercy Leadership
Excellence was born, and a unique, tailor-made, leadership model (The Core 4), centered at the heart of
CM Leadership Excellence, and based on the mindset and practice of servant-leadership, was created by
Children’s Mercy for Children’s Mercy. This model provides our organization with a common leadership
language and for not only executing this mission, but in executing this mission with excellence.
This model offers a rich, values-based, actionable leadership framework enabling you to exercise
leadership anywhere at any time and expand your leadership capacity with continuous leadership
improvement in mind for transforming yourself, those around you and the organization at large.
8 Powerful Words Excellence in leadership drives excellent outcomes. At Children’s Mercy, we believe excellence in
leadership is expressed and practiced through 8 powerful words (four core elements) comprising the
Children’s Mercy Leadership Excellence Model: Managing Self; Mobilizing Others; Cultivating Culture;
and Challenging Systems (i.e. The Core 4). Continuous improvement across The Core 4 will enable you to
maximize your leadership influence, impact and effectiveness.
At Children’s Mercy, servant-leadership is the driving force of Leadership Excellence and the
foundational framework of the CM LE Core 4 Leadership Model. This is evident in that ten of the Core
4’s twelve associated leadership values and around 60% of its associated leadership practices can be
directly or indirectly tied to conceptual and empirical literature ascribed to servant-leadership and its
various traits. As a result, we believe, that by exercising CM Core 4 Leadership, you are, to one degree
or another, fundamentally exercising servant-leadership.
Introduction to Servant-Leadership Servant-leadership at Children’s Mercy is the philosophy, mindset and daily practice of extraordinary
mindfulness, empathy and humility in authentically considering, valuing and prioritizing the needs of
others to foster their personal and professional growth and development toward their highest potential.
Robert K. Greenleaf (1977), widely considered the father of modern organizational servant-leadership,
posited that the best test of a servant-leader is asking the question: “do those served grow as persons;
are they healthier…more autonomous and more likely themselves to become [servant-leaders]?
Greenleaf (1977) conceptualized servant-leadership as a way of life rather than a management
technique, distinguished by both a primary motivation to serve (what the servant-leader does) and a
personal self-construction (who the servant-leader is).
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Studies have tied servant-leadership to an increase in employee behaviors such as altruism,
conscientiousness and courtesy (Ehrhart, 2004), as well as organizational functioning through high levels
of trust and the promotion of authentic communication (Liden, 2011). Servant-leadership stresses the
importance of nurturing others, which encourages them to be more creative and engage in more
helping behaviors, all the while improving their personal well-being (Parris & Peachy, 2013). In addition,
research has shown that servant-leadership increases collaboration between team members and
improves team effectiveness (2013). Furthermore, in considering business outcomes, comparing Jim
Collin’s (2001) “Good to Great” companies with the five-hundred largest public companies and eleven
companies most frequently cited in literature as being servant-led, Sipe and Frick (2015) found that from
1995-2005, stocks from the five-hundred largest public companies averaged a 10.8% pretax portfolio
return, Collin’s Good to Great companies a 17.5% return, and the servant-led companies a 24.2% return.
In light of these things, it is unfortunate that servant-leadership is sometimes mistaken for indecisive or
passive leadership, or the need to sacrifice one’s own identity or self-care. In reality, servant-leadership
requires courage, discipline and resiliency in managing self, mobilizing others, cultivating culture and
challenging systems. Servant-leaders also follow a strong ethical and moral compass operating from the
inside out with integrity, courage and character. They facilitate progress and accomplish outcomes with
and through others whom they have committed to helping grow into self-reliant, autonomous,
innovative people who themselves commit to exercising servant-leadership which in turn promotes an
ongoing cycle of care, service and development. At Children’s Mercy, we believe that leadership in
general and servant-leadership in particular, can be learned, as well as exercised anywhere, by anyone,
at any time because the ability to exercise leadership is not dependent on formal position or authority.
Servant-leadership is contagious and has a transforming influence (Farling, 1999), and is the foundation
from which engaged and thriving employees live into, and execute with excellence, Children’s Mercy’s
mission of improving the health and well-being of children in and around Kansas City and beyond.
The Importance of Our Leadership Values and Leadership Practices
Our leadership values—what matter most deeply to us stemming from our most strongly held beliefs
and convictions—is the foundation of our leadership culture clarifying our leadership purpose and
aligning our collective mindset; and our organization functions best when our leadership practices
support, exemplify and promote our core organizational leadership values. In addition, these leadership
values and practices also directly impact interpersonal relationships, inform situational diagnosis and
influence performance which significantly and ultimately shape leadership development and
effectiveness.
Visualizing and Understanding LE and The Core 4 Leadership Model Following is a visualization of Leadership Excellence, The Core 4, and a brief narrative for each of The
Core 4 elements and the definitions, practices and demonstrations for each of their corresponding
leadership values. These narratives, definitions, practices and demonstrations will help you understand
and interpret the model enabling you to effectively exercise the leadership behavior to which we aspire.
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Leadership Excellence begins with self, and self-management is the
source from which all other leadership behaviors and practices flow.
Without first attending to self-management, the activity required for
mobilizing others, cultivating culture, and challenging systems is
underserved and diminished. Within Children’s Mercy’s Leadership
Excellence Core 4 Leadership model, developing the leadership values of
awareness, integrity and accountability is fundamental to Managing Self
In developing these leadership values, managing self involves: creating
space for reflection and rejuvenation; knowing what energizes and
derails you; acting from internal values; doing what is right; and holding
oneself accountable and responsible, consistent with a high moral and
ethical framework. Furthermore, it involves maintaining a commitment
to continuously seeking to understand others’ perspectives of one’s self,
and the impact one’s personal behaviors and actions have on their
spheres of influence and the organization at large. In pursuing these
things, one cultivates a deep knowledge of who they uniquely are,
enhances personal and organizational insight and clarity and enables
behavior that is consistently aligned with personal and organizational
values.
M A N A G I N G S E L F
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Managing Self Leadership Values Awareness
Awareness, in the context of Managing Self—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership
Excellence Core 4 model—is understanding yourself and your impact on others (i.e. self-awareness).
Self-awareness enables one to more effectively modify behavior, build relationships and view situations
from a holistically integrated perspective, leading to personal and professional success in a variety of
organizational contexts. Rejecting or underappreciating the necessity to continuously pursue self-
awareness can lead to relational and situational misdiagnosis, unhealthy communication and others’
perception that one is aloof or arrogant. It can also lead to one’s strengths manifesting as shadow traits
when they are intentionally or unintentionally stretched to extremes. Daniel Goleman (2000) outlines
three competencies in demonstrating self-awareness: “emotional self-awareness—one’s ability to read
and understand their own emotions as well as recognize their impact on work performance,
relationships, and the like; accurate self-assessment—one’s realistic evaluation of their strengths and
limitations; and self-confidence—a strong and positive sense of self-worth.”
Integrity
Integrity, in the context of Managing Self—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership
Excellence Core 4 model—is doing what is right both personally and professionally regardless of
pressure, influence or consequence. Across leadership success literature, integrity has been identified as
the foundation of leadership effectiveness. Integrity comes from the Latin for whole or complete,
requiring “an inner sense of ‘wholeness’ and consistency of character” (Kang 2017). Integrity, conveying
consistency of character, requires alignment between one’s core values, words and actions. This
alignment enables one to present themselves and the organization justly and with good conscience,
setting the stage for a more thriving and sustainable way of working and doing business, both internally
and externally.
Accountability
Accountability, in the context of Managing Self—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership
Excellence Core 4 model—is holding yourself responsible for outcomes associated with your own
actions, decisions, quality of work and areas of control and influence. Accountability involves taking
ownership without assigning blame and taking responsible action without getting stuck in a continuous
loop of rationalization, resistance and denial (Samuel & Chiche, 2004). Accountability drives
achievement and execution; and is the catalyst for elevating personal performance, growth and
development.
See the Managing Self Leadership Practices and Other Demonstrations on p. 15
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Leadership Excellence may begin with self, but to achieve great and
lasting outcomes, one must inspire, align and mobilize others toward a
shared goal while elevating their need for autonomy, recognition and
sense of personal achievement or mastery. Within Children’s Mercy’s
Leadership Excellence Core 4 Leadership model, developing the
leadership values of empathy, trust and empowerment is fundamental
to Mobilizing Others.
In developing these leadership values, mobilizing others involves gaining
insight through active listening, meeting others where they are and
identifying and implementing increasingly reliable processes while
removing organizational barriers to growth. In addition, mobilizing
others involves: being willing to give others a voice; including them in
the decision-making process; and modeling the way forward even when
it seems risky or difficult. Furthermore, mobilizing others involves co-
creating the vision which fosters greater build/buy-in and execution of
the vision. One who operates in this way has opportunity to inspire,
facilitate engagement and collaboration, and elicit powerful and
productive commitment to the organization and the processes
necessary to organizational success.
M O B I L I Z I N G O T H E R S
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Mobilizing Others Leadership Values Empathy
Empathy, in the context of Mobilizing Others—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership
Excellence Core 4 model—is putting yourself in other people’s shoes, discerning their emotional
experiences, and taking positive, purposeful action based on that understanding. Empathy involves
committing to, and practicing, being mindful and present with others with the intention to deeply listen
to their challenges and identify their desires. Empathy also involves assuming that others have good
intentions guiding their actions and in return responding in a way that is supportive and compassionate.
One who practices engaging others empathetically will not only connect on a deeply meaningful level
with them but will also more likely be invited to partner with them in overcoming their workplace
challenges and determining how they will effectively contribute to the goals of the team.
Trust
Trust, in the context of Mobilizing Others—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership Excellence
Core 4 model—is creating a high reliability organization that positively impacts others’ level of
engagement, performance and workplace satisfaction by being personally reliable and identifying and
implementing increasingly reliable processes. Trust inspires confidence in the values and practices that
guide personal and organizational activity. It is the catalyst that allows a full and vigorous contribution of
gifts, talents and ideas to the success of groups, teams, functions and the enterprise at large. Lack of
trust fosters a toxic environment built upon accountability avoidance, the withholding of information,
silos, territorialism and general dysfunction.
Empowerment
Empowerment, in the context of Mobilizing Others—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership
Excellence Core 4 model—is facilitating others’ growth and success by providing space for them to
demonstrate greater autonomy, responsibility and authority in carrying out the mission and vision of the
team and the organization. Empowerment is essential for organizational effectiveness and is the catalyst
for multiplying and expanding leadership activity within all functions, and at all levels, of the enterprise.
To empower others, one must provide them with the resources, encouragement and freedom to
explore on the growing edge of learning and doing. Empowerment also requires deploying the
appropriate direction and support in response to developmental need in conjunction with the task at
hand. In light of these things, when others are empowered, they experience increased learning,
motivation, competence and self-reliance, and display a deeper sense of commitment and engagement
which culminates in the delivery of greater value to the team and the organization.
See the Mobilizing Others Leadership Practices and Other Demonstrations on p. 16
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Leadership excellence not only begins with managing self and includes
mobilizing others, it also involves cultivating culture within a team,
group, function, and ultimately the enterprise at large. Culture is
cultivated through the explicit and implicit, as well as the conscious and
unconscious messages one’s actions and language convey. Furthermore,
as Groysberg, Lee, Price and Cheng express, “Culture is the tacit social
order of an organization: It shapes attitudes and behaviors in wide-
ranging and durable ways. Cultural norms define what is encouraged,
discouraged, accepted, or rejected within a group. When properly
aligned with personal values, drives, and needs, culture can unleash
tremendous amounts of energy toward a shared purpose and foster and
organization’s capacity to thrive” (HBR, Jan-Feb, 2018). Within
Children’s Mercy’s Leadership Excellence Core 4 Leadership model,
developing the leadership values of honesty, connectivity and
stewardship is fundamental to Cultivating Culture.
In developing these leadership values, cultivating culture involves:
promoting truth and authenticity; prioritizing and leveraging diversity,
inclusion and interdependence for more insightful, relevant and robust
input and outcomes; articulating shared values and beliefs; aligning
activity with organizational mission and strategy; and taking care of
every resource. It has been said that culture eats strategy for breakfast,
one must be hyper aware of their responsibility as an influencer of
behaviors, mindsets and social patterns in cultivating and driving culture
as culture can make or break an organization.
C U L T I V A T I N G C U L T U R E
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Cultivating Culture Leadership Values Honesty
Honesty, in the context of Cultivating Culture—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership Excellence Core 4
model—is communicating sincerely, transparently and truthfully about your own actions, internal beliefs, experiences
and intentions, as well as communicating sincerely, transparently and truthfully about the state and strategy of the
organization and its operation. Honesty is essential in creating an accurate map of reality others can live into with vigor
and purpose giving them their best shot at success. Honesty is in large part made up of truth and authenticity. As Tom
Morris (1997) expresses, “There is probably no greater source of wasted time and energy in modern corporate life than
the distraction that arises when truth is not readily available in the workplace and speculation, gossip, and rumor rush in
to fill the void…. Human beings can’t do without the truth. If they don’t have the genuine article, they’ll fall for anything
that passes for it… Truth, even hard truth, if passed on with as much understanding, kindness and sensitivity as possible,
is always the foundation for solving any problem in a sustainable way.” One who is perceived as authentic and truthful is
able to create strong bonds ultimately coalescing the support necessary to accomplish joint objectives. And one who is
honest about the organizational landscape, closes the door on speculation and gossip that can lead to misaligned
expectations and misappropriated work.
Connectivity
Connectivity, in the context of Cultivating Culture—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership Excellence Core 4
model—is connecting individuals’ work to the larger mission and purpose of the organization as well as challenging team
members to capitalize on each other’s unique talents and expertise to obtain better results and outcomes. Connectivity
involves building and nurturing relationships with others both internally and externally requiring one to be in touch with
their needs in terms of their work, their concerns, their working styles and their professional relationships. It also
involves communicating shared values and beliefs while helping others align their daily work with the organization’s
mission, strategy and desired outcomes which elevates team members’ motivation and sense of purpose. Furthermore,
it involves creating opportunities for diversity, inclusion, and interdependence to flourish which leads to a greater sense
of belonging and value as well as increased morale, collaboration, creativity and innovation. One must meet the
connectivity needs of others in relation to each other and the organization or risk them becoming marginalized, stagnant
and depleted. Work can be satisfying and meaningful only if it contributes at the very least to meeting basic needs of
connectivity and purpose. Morris (1997), conveys that “humans have a deep need for a sense of uniqueness as
individuals; union with something greater than self; usefulness to others; and understanding about their lives and work.”
Humans are individually unique but built for connectedness, so one must strive to help others live into, and find
expression for, their uniqueness while keeping them from the illusion that utter individual autonomy leads to fulfillment.
Stewardship
Stewardship, in the context of Cultivating Culture—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership Excellence Core 4
model—is holding in care, trust and safe keeping all organizational stakeholders, resources and the organization’s
surrounding community at large. In exercising leadership, one is entrusted to ensure the long-term vitality and success of
others and the organization. Stewardship requires taking into account the greater good when making decisions that
includes factors beyond the financial impact, immediate organizational goals, or the individuals directly involved by
considering future impact both internally and externally. As Peter Block (1993) expresses, “Stewardship begins with the
willingness to be accountable for some larger body than ourselves—an organization, a community. Stewardship springs
from a set of beliefs about reforming organizations that affirms our choice for service over the pursuit of self-interest.”
When one exercises servant-leadership through stewardship in holding others, teams of others, and the enterprise at
large in care, trust and safe keeping, they are acting to improve and sustain employee and organizational health and
vitality.
See the Cultivating Culture Leadership Practices and Other Demonstrations on p. 17
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Leadership Excellence at Children’s Mercy not only includes managing
self, mobilizing others and cultivating culture, it also includes
challenging systems. Challenging systems is a catalyst fueling
organizational learning, growth and continuous improvement which are
the keys to fostering competitive advantage and creating a sustainable,
thriving future. Within Children’s Mercy’s Leadership Excellence Core 4
Leadership model, developing the leadership values of curiosity,
courage and adaptability is fundamental to Challenging Systems.
In developing these leadership values, challenging systems involves:
embracing conflict, complexity and change, even in the mist of
uncertainty and resistance, to generate creativity and solidify purpose;
asking powerful questions to gain deeper insight and initiate learning;
and confronting embedded beliefs and assumptions to challenge the
status quo and initiate change. Challenging systems also involves taking
smart and courageous risks, innovating and experimenting with purpose
and thinking strategically and acting adaptively. Challenging systems
preempts disruption, harnesses opportunities for positive progress and
opens doors to new and creative ways of personal and organizational
being and doing.
C H A L L E N G I N G S Y S T E M S
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Challenging Systems Leadership Values Curiosity
Curiosity, in the context of Challenging Systems—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership
Excellence Core 4 model—is seeking out new information, knowledge and experiences to gain deeper
understanding and learning, cultivate a growth mindset and foster creativity. Curiosity combats blind-
spots due to overconfidence in expertise or authority as well as the tendency to favor information
confirming preexisting beliefs. One who adopts a curious approach appreciates that they do not have all
the answers and do not possess all the necessary knowledge but instead realizes that multiple
perspectives lead to more relevant, robust and effective outcomes. Many times, the best solution is not
the first possible solution, and curiosity is the key to unlocking multiple solutions that may ultimately
lead to the most effective outcome. Adi Ignatius (HBR, Sept.-Oct. 2018) relates that “recent research by
Francesca Gino at Harvard Business School points to several surprisingly practical benefits for business:
Curiosity improves decision making because it reduces our susceptibility to stereotypes and to
confirmation bias; it fuels employee engagement and collaboration; and it fortifies organizational
resilience by prompting creative problem solving in the face of uncertainty and pressure.
Courage
Courage, in the context of Challenging Systems—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership
Excellence Core 4 model—is defined as acting with bravery and conviction in the face of uncomfortable,
difficult or challenging situations. Courage is born from a willingness to be vulnerable and endure
discomfort in seeking the most excellent outcome for the greatest good and “invokes within us our
absolute best selves” (Lee, 2006). Exercising leadership, especially when challenging systems, may at
times seem risky because systems, made up of people and processes, can only be improved when
embedded priorities, beliefs, habits and loyalties are addressed which requires courageous behavior.
Courage is the backbone of leadership and simply becomes stronger and stronger when practiced,
leading to a greater capacity to influence and drive continuous improvement personally, professionally
and organizationally.
Adaptability
Adaptability, in the context of Challenging Systems—a core element of the Children’s Mercy Leadership
Excellence Core 4 model—is defined as readily adjusting, modifying and reinventing mindset and
behavior in the midst of changing conditions whether that change represents change in organizational
roles, relationships, culture, or systems. Adaptability involves the ability to effectively identify, diagnose
and make progress on tough adaptive challenges apart from issues solved by technical expertise alone,
and relies on synthesizing historical context, the present reality and the likely future consequences of
decisions. These abilities greatly aid in positively navigating and living into the volatility, uncertainty,
complexity and ambiguity associated with a multifaceted, twenty first century enterprise and affecting
and shaping the organization’s strategic positioning and longevity.
See the Challenging Systems Leadership Practices and Other Demonstrations on p. 18
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Leadership Practices and Demonstrations of the Leadership Values
Managing Self The Core 4 Leadership Practices within Awareness:
• Making time for reflection and rejuvenation
• Knowing what energizes you and derails you
• Seeking to understand how others see you
One also demonstrates Awareness by:
• being fully present in the moment
• regularly inviting and monitoring feedback about their behavior
• understanding strengths and limitations
• displaying an understanding of, and clearly describing how, their emotions and behavior impact others and the
surrounding environment
• being open to being coached and mentored
• seeking out various personal and professional development opportunities
The Core 4 Leadership Practice within Integrity:
• Acting from internal values and doing what is right
One also demonstrates Integrity by:
• making decisions fairly and impartially
• treating others with respect
• giving credit where credit is due
• behaving morally and ethically with the intent to promote and drive personal, professional and organizational
best practices for the greatest good
• aligning words with actions
• inspiring others to behave with integrity
The Core 4 Leadership Practice within Accountability:
• Accepting personal accountability and responsibility
One also demonstrates Accountability by:
• looking objectively at their own contribution
• acknowledging areas of personal improvement
• holding to organizational expectations
• working toward established performance standards with or without direct supervision
• measuring personal progress regularly
• keeping agreements
• doing what they say they will do
• not inappropriately placing blame
• not deflecting responsibility
• not ignoring or avoiding mistakes
• taking ownership of mistakes
• committing to finding positive remedies and resolutions to the situations
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Mobilizing Others The Core 4 Leadership Practice within Empathy:
• Listening, and meeting others where they are
One also demonstrates Empathy by:
• creating open and receptive space for others’ expressed and unexpressed challenges and emotions
• validating others
• compassionately encouraging others
• accepting, recognizing and celebrating others for their unique strengths, talents and contributions
• elevating others rather than diminishing them
• humanizing others rather than dehumanizing them
• treating others as they would like to be treated
The Core 4 Leadership Practice within Trust:
• Identifying and implementing increasingly reliable processes
One also demonstrates Trust by:
• engaging in direct and forthcoming communication
• not reneging without merit on decisions
• acting fairly in the best interest of others and the organization.
• allowing problems to emerge
• incorporating others’ ideas while implementing credible standard work
• building a robust daily management system
• championing processes that close the gap between the current and desired state
• freely sharing information
• sharing risk
• keeping confidences
• dispelling fear
• creating safe environments
• creating an environment in which others feel safe expressing opposing opinions
• validating others’ differing interpretations
• being personally reliable and consistent
The Core 4 Leadership Practices within Empowerment:
• Giving others’ a voice and decision-making power
• Co-creating the vision and modeling the way
• Removing organizational barriers to growth and success
One also demonstrates Empowerment by:
• sharing status with others
• granting access to others
• encouraging initiative
• showing appreciation
• celebrating achievements
• coaching others with positive intent
• giving knowledge away
• delegating important tasks
• championing others and their ideas
• letting go of control
• engaging others with humility and respect
• encouraging a growth mindset in others
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Cultivating Culture The Core 4 Leadership Practice within Honesty:
• Promoting truth and authenticity
One also demonstrates Honesty by:
• being clear and forthcoming about their expectations
• engaging in open and transparent communication and decision-making
• fully disclosing information
• speaking with candor
• painting a truthful and authentic picture of the organizational landscape
• sharing an accurate assessment of what is going on without filters or buffers
• conveying a consistent and truthful message in all situations
• authentically conveying situational reality
The Core 4 Leadership Practices within Connectivity:
• Prioritizing diversity, inclusion and interdependence
• Articulating shared values and beliefs
• Aligning activity with organizational mission and strategy
One also demonstrates Connectivity by:
• including not excluding others
• purposefully linking together others’ unique contributions
• fostering interdependence within groups and across functions
• explicitly communicating the connection between daily work and organizational outcomes
• aggregating others’ diverse experiences, styles, backgrounds and perspectives to elevate creativity and
innovation
• promoting a team environment that readily welcomes differentness
• emphasizing integration of a variety of resources
• leveraging and connecting others’ unique qualities and talents for more effective collaboration
• emphasizing commonalities others have amongst themselves
• uniting others through team bonding
• uniting others through goal accomplishment
• fostering community-building over individualism
• identifying and promoting a uniting purpose
The Core 4 Leadership Practice within Stewardship:
• Taking care of every resource
One also demonstrates Stewardship by:
• supporting others’ health and well-being
• considering future impact of decisions on the organization and its community
• holding others accountable
• promoting continuous improvement
• controlling costs
• working to minimize and eliminate waste
• improving operational efficiencies
• reducing non-value added work
• tracking process outcomes
• striving to achieve the highest standards in quality
• providing others with personal and professional developmental opportunities
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Challenging Systems The Core 4 Leadership Practice within Curiosity:
• Asking powerful questions
One also demonstrates Curiosity by:
• welcoming new ideas and approaches regardless of their source
• independently as well as collectively pursuing opportunities to learn
• continuously seeking solutions
• exploring subjects not readily understood
The Core 4 Leadership Practice within Courage:
• Confronting embedded beliefs and assumptions
One also demonstrates Courage by:
• making tough decisions
• admitting to not having the answer or immediate solution
• speaking even when the news or message is unpopular
• taking smart risks even in the face of pressure or opposition
• putting oneself in the center of tension when necessary
• challenging the status quo
• speaking from the heart with confidence and conviction
• tenaciously pursuing the right outcomes
• holding to purpose in responding to objections or fears
• leading the way forward
• making decisions without all the information
• challenging norms
• creating space for norms to be challenged
The Core 4 Leadership Practices within Adaptability:
• Embracing conflict, complexity and change
• Innovating and experimenting with purpose
• Thinking strategically and acting adaptively
One also demonstrates Adaptability by:
• skillfully responding to organizational change
• persisting in the face of continuous change
• effectively managing changing priorities
• regularly seeking out ways to improve the system
• being persistent and steadfast in the midst of tough, unexpected or sophisticated situations
• developing alternative solutions to problems
• generating multiple interpretations
• shifting focus rapidly
• remaining agile in thought, feeling and behavior
• quickly learning from mistakes
• using a variety of approaches to situations
• being flexible when needed
• creatively solving problems within constraints
• considering multiple interpretations of situations and challenges
• relating to and dealing well with others regardless of their background or position in the organization
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References
Block, P. (1993). Stewardship: Choosing service over self-interest. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Collins, J. (2001). Good to great: Why some companies make the leap… and others don’t. New York: HarperCollins Publishers Inc.
Ehrhart, M.G. (2004). Leadership and procedural justice climate as antecedents of unit-level organizational citizenship behavior. Personnel Psychology, 57(1), 61 – 94.
Farling, M.L., Stone, A.G., & Winston, B.E. (1999). Servant leadership: Setting the stage for empirical research. Journal of Leadership Studies, 6, 49 – 72.
Goleman, D. (2000, March-April). Leadership that gets results. Harvard Business Review. Greenleaf, R.K. (1977). Servant Leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness.
Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press.
Groysberg, B., Lee, J., Price, J., & Cheng, J. J. (2018, January-February). The leader’s guide to corporate culture. Harvard Business Review.
Hu, J. & Liden, R. C. (2011). Antecedents of team potency and team effectiveness: An examination of goal and process clarity and servant leadership. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(4), 851-862.
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Recommended Reading
• American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company by Bryce Hoffman
• Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell
• Change Management: The People Side of Change by Jeffrey M. Hiatt & Timothy J. Creasey
• Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders for a Complex World by Jennifer Garvey Berger
• Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when Stakes are High by K. Patterson, J. Grenny, R. McMillan, & A. Switzler
• Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. by Brené Brown
• Dare to Serve: How to Drive Superior Results by Serving Others by Cheryl Bachelder
• Enlightened Leadership: Getting to the Heart of Change by Ed Oakley and Doug Krug
• The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth: Live Them and Reach Your Potential by John C. Maxwell
• The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter (Updated + Expanded) by
Michael Watkins
• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t by Jim Collins
• Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
• If Aristotle Ran General Motors: The New Soul of Business by Tom Morris
• Leadership and the New Science: Discovering Order in a New World by Margaret Wheatley
• The Leadership Challenge: How to Make Extraordinary Things Happen in Organizations
by James Kouzes and Barry Posner
• Leadership from the Inside Out: Becoming a Leader for Life by Kevin Cashman
• Leading Matters: Lessons from My Journey by John Hennessey
• The Master Coach: Leading with Character, Building Connections, and Engaging in Extraordinary Conversations
by Gregg Thompson
• Mindset: The new psychology of success; How we can learn to fulfill our potential by Carol Dweck
• Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems by Barry Johnson
• The Practice of Adaptive Leadership: Tools and Tactics for Changing Your Organization and the World
by Ronald Heifetz, Alexander Grashow and Marty Linsky
• Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy
• Seeing Systems: Unlocking the Mysteries of Organizational Life by Barry Oshry
• Spiral Dynamics: Mastering Values, Leadership and Change by Don Edward Beck & Christopher Cowan
• Stewardship: Choosing Service Over Self Interest by Peter Block
• The Thin Book of Appreciative Inquiry (3rd Ed.) by Sue Annis Hammond
• The Toyota Way to Lean Leadership: Achieving and Sustaining Excellence Through Leadership Development by
Jeffrey Liker and Gary Convis
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