7 leadership lessons from the lodge

Australia's Prime Minister Tony Abbott has survived the challenge to his leadership. For now anyway. History suggests only temporarily. This has dominated the media here for days now and I suspect the issue won't be going away anytime soon, not least because the media won't let it.

Here's my 7 lessons for you and your business.

1) Leadership is not about popularity. It is about listening. If there's dissent or disengagement in your ranks you're not listening, not communicating effectively, and something is amiss with the direction you're going in.

2) Leadership is not about self-interest. It's about enlightened self-interest, the philosophy in ethics that says we can "do well by doing good."

3) Leadership is not about cabinet solidarity pre decision making. If your not allowing candid and authentic conversation during the decision making process, that genuinely involves those who will be affected by the decision, then you'll end up with a poor decision and derision of it.

4) Leadership is not about winning at any cost. Winning is a consequence of how we play the game. Sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Champions win more than they lose, and when they do lose they accept it graciously and don't blame others.

5) Leadership is not about competition. It is about collaboration. The only competitor you have as a real leader is yourself. You should be competing with yourself and seeking to collaborate with everyone else.

6) Leadership is not about agreeing on everything. Real leadership is the ability and willingness to honour difference and the skill and will to find a shared-view about what I refer to as the magnificent seven.

7) Leadership is not about the past. Real leadership shows we have learned our lessons from the past, are focused on the present, and are leading people in a direction that the vast majority feel in their hearts is in their best interest.

Be remarkable.
Ian