Why Good Leaders Must D.I.E.

By Richard Russey

Okay, I admit to hyping this blog post with a provocative title. But, stay with me if you will and I think you’ll see why good leaders must "D.I.E." Certainly, I am not referring to corporeal death, but to an acronym that represents qualities I believe to be essential to leaders of distinction.

The acronym “D.I.E.” stands for these significant “good leader” traits: the ability to be decisive; the wisdom to be introspective; and the grounding to be ethical. Adding these elements to the many leadership qualities I’ve previously explored in postings to this blog helps to round out the essence of what can only be described as extraordinary leadership. I’ve delved into many other qualities of leadership including these words of description that define an exemplary leader -- visionary, persuasive, intentional, likable, strategic, tactical, and focused. But, it is necessary to add the important “D.I.E.” descriptors that are the hallmark of leaders who stand out, leaders that are remembered for their positive impact, leaders who engender success through their approach and style, and leaders who are guided by intelligence and skill. All of these, I feel compelled to remind you, are learned traits. While a rare person may be born with an intuitive feel for leadership, even they must develop the skills and qualities that allow them to actualize their success in a leadership role.

Decisive
Essentially, a decisive leader can wrap their attention and thinking around an issue, and make a decision for the “greater good” of the mission of their organization even without possessing a complete set of data or information. They can do this precisely because they have honed the numerous other traits I’ve identified in my postings on leadership. Often there is limited time and/or certain market constraints imposed from the outside of a leader’s sphere of immediate influence. One reaction to these outside influences that can come without warning and with severity would be to freeze, to become transfixed by the challenge. But, one cannot be successful for very long by avoiding making decisions. The kind of leader I am discussing here works to develop a decisive nature, rapidly gathering all pertinent and available information, looking at the various perspectives of a situation, projecting scenarios of the outcomes of deciding in one way or another – then making a choice, making a decision.

There is perhaps no more powerful statement on the power of “deciding” than the famous words of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe who in the early years of the 19th Century said:

“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration; I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”

Consider the incredible power of those words, which are the perfect segue to the next element of leadership in the “D.I.E.” acronym.

Introspective
A leader of positive consequence has the ability to be introspective. While much of a leader’s role is about projecting outward (to a team, a board, other leaders, and their organization’s constituency or audience) that outward projection must have a foundation in the ability of a leader to be introspective, self-examining, and “interior-aware.” It is the introspective element that is the foundation for the quality of intentionality that has been previously discussed in my postings on leadership.

I know what many readers must now be thinking … “Sounds good, but where will I find the time?” There are many answers to that question, and no one size fits all. The Buddhists would say that one can practice introspection in each moment. That is the famous “Zen” approach to life, to daily activity, and to personal engagement. My point here is that one need not go off on a retreat to be introspective. A leader cannot afford to delay introspection to another time or place. Introspection should not be separated from one’s moment to moment activity. Clearly, this is a learned skill that must be practiced consistently. And, for those queasy about “religious” practice or dogma, introspection isn’t just a Zen or Buddhist concept.

Another perhaps more cerebral approach to introspection is to develop the habit of asking oneself questions … all the time, about everything. Albeit, a very difficult habit to start, as it will seem intrusive and pesky initially, those questions asked of oneself can lead to new awareness, to “ah-ha” moments, and to different levels of thinking and thus, operating. Ask yourself all the questions you might imagine the outside world is going to ask of you as a means of starting an inner dialogue. Are the answers you hear forming in your mind satisfactory to you as a leader? If not, keep asking the questions – I promise you that your “inner-knower” will not fail you, because this provides the opportunity for the sum and substance of your intellect, your experience, and yes, your spirit, to come forth and provide the wisdom you are seeking.

Finally, when a leader fully engages in decisive and introspective activity, the corollary element of ethics comes into play.

Ethical
There is an element of ethical leadership that concerns the approach of being straightforward, direct, and truthful. Clearly, the act of being introspective can nudge one in the direction of ethical leadership. While there is an understanding around the word of ethics that is based in morality, I am not focusing on that aspect of the concept of ethical leadership here. Rather, I refer to decency and fairness, and leadership based on a set of principles. Again, no one size fits all. But, no leader can achieve the level of distinction that I believe we should all aspire to without ethical considerations being part and parcel of the leadership role.

Abraham Lincoln provides my guiding light on the issue of ethics, in part because his view was so simple and clear-eyed. He once remarked: “When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad.”

Clear, transparent, ethical behavior on the part of a leader is like a beacon of light that shines outward illuminating all. A leader’s team certainly is impacted by the modeling of ethical behavior. An organization’s constituency or audience is drawn to the unmistakable essence of “good” surrounding the mission and endeavor where ethical leadership is ever-present.

One can argue morality as it relates to ethics, but what seems unimpeachably true to me is that leading with a set of values, principles, and beliefs imbued with conscientious application engenders leadership of consequence and of distinction.

So, take one for the team … go out there and model how a leader should D.I.E.