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The Versatile Leader
The notion of versatility — the balanced use of strengths as appropriate — has major implications in the assessment and development of project leaders. The ideal goal is to use the right blend of complementary skills and attributes at the right times.
Rich S. has all the attributes of a great project leader. He is a sharp strategist, quick to identify or anticipate opportunities. He’s not afraid of making bold moves, but knows the difference between being bold and being rash. He excites people with his vision and ideas. He exudes power and energy. And, finally, he doesn’t just talk: Rich knows how to turn ideas into action.
Despite these impressive attributes, Rich’s leadership is at times ineffective and counterproductive — and ironically it’s his very strengths that hurt him. His bold strategic moves sometimes overwhelm the operational capabilities of his company. And his power and charisma overwhelm attempts by his project teams to influence him or contribute in meetings.
What happens when you have too much of a good thing? Any leader who relies too heavily on his or her strengths will turn those strengths into weaknesses, assert leadership development experts Bob Kaplan and Rob Kaiser in their new book, The Versatile Leader: Make the Most of Your Strengths Without Overdoing It (Pfeiffer/Wiley; 2006). Calling on decades of …
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