This is leading people. In studying and working with these kinds of leaders, I've come to recognize eight principles that run through all their stories, eight strands that, when woven together, form wisdom in action. Leaders see the whole picture and articulate that broad perspective with others. By doing so, leaders create a common purpose that mobilizes people and coordinates their efforts into a single, coherent, agile enterprise. Without trust, vision becomes an empty slogan.
Trust binds people together, creating a strong, resilient organization.
To build trust, leaders are predictable, and they share information and power. Their goal is a culture of candor. The energy of an organization is the participation and effort of its people. The leader's challenge is to unleash and focus this energy, inspiring people at every level of the enterprise to pitch in with their minds and hearts. Leaders need a deep understanding of themselves.