Leadership DNA: Do You Possess It & Do You Grow It In Others?

Being the boss and being a leader are not synonymous. The DNA of a great leader can leave a lasting impression of greatness on a marketplace, within an organization, and upon individuals that will live on well beyond their presence.

Leaders are both organic and grown. Beyond the rhetoric of so-called experts and the sensationalistic media sound bite world we live in today, leaders possess observable characteristics and behaviors known as Leadership DNA. Whether they are a born leader or have been mentored and developed to that point, there are models to leadership DNA.

I’ve worked with exceptional leaders across Entrepreneurial Businesses, Fortune 500 Organizations, and the United States Military as a managerial-leadership author, coach, and human capital developer over the past several decades. I have had the opportunity to see true leadership in action internationally and in every industry. Additionally, as the publisher of www.ProfessionalPerformanceMagazine.com for the past two decades, I’ve been exposed to true achievers across the globe.

The CEO of a multi-billion dollar mid-west firm once quoted the late great Michael Jackson lyric to a group of executives I was working with, “The man in the mirror staring back at me… what do you see?” In the context of the moment, it was a powerful comment; in the macro context of what leadership should be, it was profound.

As you look in the mirror of life, true Leaders:

L – Listen to leave a legacy.

E – Engage to educate, whether technical or non-technical, formal or informal, certification driven, or through the University of Street Smarts.

A – Accept ownership and embrace an attitude of optimism and belief

D – Delegate and drive themselves and others to achieve and reach for more.

E – Evolve through experiences appropriate to serve as a sound base for development.

R – Reach out to others to build rapport and thereby become reachable, approachable.

S – Standup for the tough calls and support and serve others with a shared vision and mission

H – Help others grow through their guidance and mentorship

I – Inspire others to be better by being in tune with today to innovate for a better tomorrow

P – Perfection is their hallmark, and they push themselves and others consistently raise the performance bar and demanding continuous performance development and excellence. They fight to ensure the bar is not lowered to accommodate laziness, popularity, and unearned welfare.

You can be a Loser, or you can become a leader of yourself and others. Your actions are your choices, as I detail in the book Your Trajectory Code (watch On the Red Carpet at youtu. be/9xVGtzkxzXU) and for purchase at https://www.amazon.com/Your-Trajectory-Code-Decisions-Directions/dp/1119043239).

Your Leadership DNA shapes and reinforces your culture, and your culture shapes and strengthens the Leadership DNA you organically grow or do not grow. Consider what culture must be present to cultivate each of these DNA variables, and explore hidden or missing characteristics for each letter variable that you would add to the list. Embrace and support those who share your DNA desires, cultivate them within others, and remove those that would harm you and your organization. Then go out and continuously enrich the formula for your own self-development and mentor others to possess the Leadership DNA for a healthier, wealthier, more balanced future!

Written by Dr. Jeffrey Magee.