Character and Effective Leadership of the Knowledge Worker

Ulrich in the forward to the Zenger and Folkman (2002) book, ''The Extraordinary Leader'', wrote about the importance of character in leadership stating, ''Everything about great leaders radiates from character. Character improves the probability of exhibiting strong interpersonal skill. Some of this perceived character is innate . . . but more is driven by the leader's self-awareness and interactions with others'' (p. ix). The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between leadership effectiveness and character using leader-managers of knowledge workers as the subject sample. Findings indicated that character, particularly those factors associated with honesty, setting the example, and valuing and strengthening others, were what set the most effective leader-managers apart from their peers. Technical competence and self-efficacy were found to be common characteristics of the study sample as was a drive for results. Who a leader-manager is, his/her substance, was found in this study to differentiate the ''best'' leader-managers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. By their character, leader-managers establish the environment in which knowledge workers contribute and grow. As found by Pfeiffer (2000), Leaders of companies that experience smaller gaps between what they know and what they do (to turn knowledge into action), understand that theirmore » most important task is not necessarily to make strategic decisions, or, for that matter any decisions at all. Their task is to help build systems of practice that produce a more reliable transformation of knowledge into action. Leaders create environments, reinforce norms, and help set expectations through what they do. (p. 261) In other words, as confirmed by this research study, their task is to model the way. Study results also confirmed Ulrich's (1996) supposition that to create the ''air'' in which employees work, leaders have the personal characteristics that engender trust and commitment. In other words, as study results confirmed, the most effective leader-managers establish trusting relationships and strengthen others--they enable others; and, are just, fair, sincere, and recognize contributions--they encourage the heart. Based on study findings, the leadership development model proposed was founded on the premise that character can be developed, particularly if done so through assessment and challenging assignments, with coaching, mentoring, and peer network support. However, development of character requires a shift in our leadership development programs. What causes this shift is a focus on learning by doing through challenging assignments and teaching others rather than learning through event focused assessment and course work. Character cannot be learned in the classroom; it needs to be developed through experience and then learned by feedback, reflection, coaching, and teaching others. Study findings indicated that knowledge workers want to be encouraged, believed in and lead by those they trust to inspire them to accomplish the goals and objectives of the organization. To cause a workforce to generate intellectual capital for the organization, study findings found that the leader-manager's ''character'' does make a difference.« less