Six of the Best: Lessons in Life and Leadership

Citation

McIntire, D.D. (2007), "Six of the Best: Lessons in Life and Leadership", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 28 No. 8, pp. 788-789. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730710835515

I saved reading Six of the Best: Lessons in Life and Leadership by Ed Peppitt for the plane ride to Singapore. After all since I was going there to teach a graduate class on leadership it might serve as a suitable priming of the pump – so to speak. I was pleasantly surprised. This handy book is chock full of very practical examples, illustrations, and nuggets of leadership wisdom. And, yes, I did refer to a number of those powerful ideas during my teaching in Singapore.

This book is unusual for several reasons. First it is a project of the Chartered Management Institute. And, secondly, it is a result of face‐to‐face interviews with six of the UK's most successful and effective business leaders. I think it is incredible what we can learn from the best of the best when we have the opportunity to figuratively “sit at their feet” and soak it in. This book is different because it takes a look at leadership and management as a whole. It provides interesting and valuable perspectives relative to how truly effective leaders and managers operate. There is no theory in this book at all – but rather tons of examples, stories and anecdotes. That is its real value as these six titans of business, education, industry and the arts put flesh on the skeleton of their practical experience. This is not, as Peppitt describes, “ … a blueprint for how to succeed in business or, indeed, in life. Rather it provides an insight into the working lives of a handful of our most successful leaders” (p. 9). It is much more of a signpost and a directive to be oneself in leadership.

Each of the six exceptional managers had a different and unique focus. Each was remarkably different in respect to their journeys and to their approaches. However, the six centered on themes that played out for each of them. The themes were distinguishable in the respect of skills attributed to leadership success in today's marketplace.

Leading people involves creating a sense of purpose, a vision if you prefer, of what you and your organization intend to achieve. A sense of owning the vision and establishing a clear set of values is important to influencing behavior. A quote from Michelangelo, when he was 87 years old, describes it best when he said, “I'm still learning.” And isn't that why people stay fresh and able to lead?

Managing change must come as a recognizing of the need for change in the first place. Communication with one's team during periods of change is essential. Sir Michael Bighard suggests that we “need to try to give people the opportunity to be a part of the change – but if they can't, then we need to help them to find something else.” It is so trite, yet so true, “..that there are two important things in communication. One is, it isn't just about telling, it really is about listening.” Why is it that we so frequently forget that listening is critical in communication and in managing change?

Meeting customer needs is vital to an organization's survival. Lord Karan Billimoria refers to it as the need to “zig” when those around you “zag.” He refers to what is seemingly a paradox of the need to identify what customers need or want, even if they are not aware of the need themselves. This capacity is one of the skills that he has perfected that propelled him to the front of the pack. One of the major take aways from Bilimoria “is to take on board the principles that he identifies, and then consider how you might best implement them yourself.”

Managing information and knowledge is an increasing challenge. Sir Digby Jones raises the question about how we educate people to handle information better so they don't waste people's time with giving them too much information or unnecessary information. He responds to this challenge by describing himself as an excellent delegator, prodigious reader and ruthless prioritizer. I think what he had to say about the difference between pressure and stress is right on target.

Managing activities and resources was an area that Dianne Thompson addressed. I particularly liked the proactive approach that she embraced. She stated that “I get very frustrated with the ‘if it ain't broke, don't fix it’ mentality. That's not the way to run a business. The way to run a business is always to be proactive: look for efficiencies, look for ways to drive sales, to drive profits.” I would go a step further and suggest that if it ain't broke – then go ahead and break it.

Managing yourself was perhaps the most personal of these six themes. Andy Green suggested that there were five key areas pertaining to managing yourself: managing your time, managing yourself mentally, managing yourself physically, managing your image, and managing your growth. He values being in the present and when he is at home to be fully at home and not working.

It was interesting to learn that these remarkable managers in Six of the Best had adopted similar attitudes. Each of them described their belief in the importance of openness, integrity or of “being yourself.” They were passionate and determined about what they do. I strongly recommend reading Six of the Best as a unique and special way of garnering a sense of the values, hopes, and expectations from these remarkable managers. The application of their “lessons learned” is up to you the reader.