Crucibles of Leadership

Crucibles of Leadership is a fabulous article by Warren Bennis and Robert J. Thomas published in the Harvard Business Review in September 2002. Here is a summary:

“The skills required to conquer adversity and emerge stronger and more committed than ever are the same ones that make for extraordinary leaders.”

They believe, and I agree, that great leaders possess four essential skills:

1.       The ability to engage others in shared meaning.

2.       A distinctive and compelling voice.

3.       A sense of integrity including a strong set of values.

4.       Adaptive capacity.

But by far the most critical skill of the four is what they call “adaptive capacity.” This is, in essence, applied creativity—an almost magical ability to transcend adversity, with all its attendant stresses, and to emerge stronger than before. It’s composed of two primary qualities: the ability to grasp context, and hardiness. The ability to grasp context implies an ability to weigh a welter of factors, ranging from how very different groups of people will interpret a gesture to being able to put a situation in perspective. Hardiness is just what it sounds like—the perseverance and toughness that enable people to emerge from devastating circumstances without losing hope.

These happen to be the same skills that allow a person to find meaning in what could be a debilitating experience.