One of the points Jim Kouzes and I have made is that leaders are great learners. Part of this happens naturally because of their willingness to be open to new ideas and to remain in awe of the world and people around them. Indeed, we never know where our next inspirations will come from (i.e., leadership opportunities).
For example, did you happen to see the recent movie “Julie and Julia”? A lovely movie (a New York Times Critics’ Pick) and it got us (Jackie especially) to go back and look at Julia Child’s autobiography My Life in France. Her perspective on learning to cook is a lot like what it takes to learn to lead:
This is my invariable advice to people: learn how to cook -- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun” (p. 328).
No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing. No one is born a great leader, one learns by doing.
The NYT’s reviewer offered this additional observation. She notes that the title of Julia Child’s book is:
“Mastering the Art of French Cooking” — not “How To” or “Made Easy” or “For Dummies,” but “Mastering the Art.” In other words, cooking that omelet is part of a demanding, exalted discipline not to be entered into frivolously or casually. But at the same time: You can do it. It is a matter of technique, of skill, of practice.
On Saturday, I finished up the leadership course I had been teaching in Shenzhen, primarily to first and second-level managers (a few divisional and general managers, as well). Since then I’ve received a number of very gracious emails from the students about the seminar, along these lines:
I would like to thank you again for teaching us great lessons about leadership and how to become a better leader. I expect that with intentional practice we can become someone's most admired leader.
And that’s precisely the point that Jim Kouzes, Julia Child and Barry Posner, among others, have been making over and over again. You can learn to lead. You can become a better leader. But no one says that it will be easy, or that you will get it right every time (almost never the first time), or even that you won’t get fired some time along the way. “Mastering the Art of Leadership” sounds like a good title for our next book.
Hope all is well in your part of the world.
Barry
For example, did you happen to see the recent movie “Julie and Julia”? A lovely movie (a New York Times Critics’ Pick) and it got us (Jackie especially) to go back and look at Julia Child’s autobiography My Life in France. Her perspective on learning to cook is a lot like what it takes to learn to lead:
This is my invariable advice to people: learn how to cook -- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun” (p. 328).
No one is born a great cook, one learns by doing. No one is born a great leader, one learns by doing.
The NYT’s reviewer offered this additional observation. She notes that the title of Julia Child’s book is:
“Mastering the Art of French Cooking” — not “How To” or “Made Easy” or “For Dummies,” but “Mastering the Art.” In other words, cooking that omelet is part of a demanding, exalted discipline not to be entered into frivolously or casually. But at the same time: You can do it. It is a matter of technique, of skill, of practice.
On Saturday, I finished up the leadership course I had been teaching in Shenzhen, primarily to first and second-level managers (a few divisional and general managers, as well). Since then I’ve received a number of very gracious emails from the students about the seminar, along these lines:
I would like to thank you again for teaching us great lessons about leadership and how to become a better leader. I expect that with intentional practice we can become someone's most admired leader.
And that’s precisely the point that Jim Kouzes, Julia Child and Barry Posner, among others, have been making over and over again. You can learn to lead. You can become a better leader. But no one says that it will be easy, or that you will get it right every time (almost never the first time), or even that you won’t get fired some time along the way. “Mastering the Art of Leadership” sounds like a good title for our next book.
Hope all is well in your part of the world.
Barry
If Jackie hasn't read Julie and Julia--I recommend it. Julie is a lesson in working hard for what she is trying to learn. That poor girl has to tackle a lot to learn French cooking.
ReplyDeleteHope you are enjoying yourself in Asia!