Summary Of 18 Lessons In Leadership By Colin L. Powell

“The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” This quote is profound in it’s own right but does it portray an author who is ethical and visionary? Could a man become a four-star general, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State without holding these principles near and using them as a guide? As we explore Colin Powell’s legacy, we’ll find out.

Leadership can be viewed in many different ways and possess many different qualities. There are courageous leaders, respectful leaders, terrible leaders, and seemingly insignificant leaders but leaders nonetheless. But what is it that differentiates between a strong leader and a weak leader, or a powerful leader and an insignificant one? Is it the qualities in the leader or the decisions they make in key situations that define good leadership qualities? Some would define a good leader by their ability to do the right thing even if it is not the easiest choice. Others might define a good leader as one that possesses great integrity and leads by example. The military possesses many great leaders through a process of development and molding individuals to meet expected leadership qualities like honor, courage, commitment and integrity to accomplish any mission or goal. However, this process doesn’t always create the desired effect. So, let’s examine some good and bad examples of leadership qualities and break down what and how we can emulate them.

Leadership. It is a trait that is valued in almost any form of society. Whether it be leadership in the workplace or leadership on the battlefield, leadership is a prized capability for people. But, according to Colin Powell, this valued leadership trait can be lost at the hands of the followers of that leader. If these followers no longer trust their leader with their problems, then that person is no longer their leader. And, this statement does have some validity. While the raw talents of a leader are valuable to a group, ultimately, the success of the leader is contingent on whether or not the leader acknowledges and includes his followers. Therefore, Powell’s point is agreeable to a large extent, as it is imperative that the followers not only

Most people recognize Colin Powell as one of the most admired and popular leaders of our time. Often times in leadership you will not always be popular or admired, so what makes this leader different? It was those core values ingrained in him at early age by his parents that would shape him as a future leader (Koltz & Powell, 2012). As with any great leader he’s had his fair share of trials and tribulations, but like an infantry officer he continued to press forward. Colin Powell has been a visionary and ethical leader since the early days of Persian Gulf to Washington’s corridors (Roth, 1993). Throughout my research he has become a personal inspiration for me due to his ability to inspire and motivate those around him. Let’s take a brief look into his background to provide a better understanding of his leadership style.

Colin Powell’s “It Worked For Me in Life and Leadership” (2012) is a riveting book that discusses in great detail the simple but often-fundamental leadership principles that have been consigned to oblivion by most people and leaders. The evocative book provides a basis on which one can evaluate their strengths and weaknesses in leadership in all dimensions, particularly at the work place and suggests other areas of improvement that the reader can asses to ensure proper development. Through careful, frequent and honest evaluations from both self and others, it is possible for a person to become the best version of himself or herself; in turn, this contributes to a well-rounded leader.

As a Non Commissioned Officer in the Pennsylvania Army Nation Guard, I realize the importance and value of good leadership. A leader has to be able to understand and support their men, have initiative, be quick on their feet, and accept responsibility for their actions. The personal traits that I look for in a leader are courage, commitment, candor, competence, and integrity. Out of these the most important one to me, is integrity. A man’s word is his bond and the most important leadership trait there is. Looking back, the man I see as a great leader that possesses these traits is Ret. General Colin Powell. Colin Powell is one of the greatest military leaders in this country’s history. He served this country

The Life of General Colin Powell is one that is marked by leadership and service to his country. From an early age Powell sought to help others and make organizations he was a part of better through leadership. Colin Powell from his days in ROTC to Vietnam and as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has used his personal leadership to better the Army and to do his utmost to serve his country. Born to Jamaican immigrants in the South Bronx young Colin Powell came of age in neighborhood which was can be described as a melting pot. Powell even picked up odd jobs around the neighborhood and learned a bit of Yiddish.

General Powell highlights 18 lessons learned in leadership that are applied to successful companies, and how they are applied to leadership in his presentation to the Outreach Program, and the Sears Corporate Headquarters. These approaches can be applied not only in business but life in general. I will highlight three of the lessons that have impacted my career in the military

General Powell displays transformation leadership through individualized consideration. “IC involves dealing with others as individuals and considering their needs, abilities, and aspirations as you work together to further their development.” General Powell’s Army background influences the idea of taking raw iron and fashioning it into a sword; as noted in his quote “leaders are made, not born” implies leadership is a shaping process. Transformational leaders who display individual consideration tend to coach and mentor, excel in two-way communications, listens effectively, and personalize interactions with subordinates. Part of General Powell’s principle of empowerment is an investment in the leadership potential of team members. This investment is necessary in sustaining productive organizations.

The heart of the book would be Colin’s thirteen rules (Powell 3-20). These rules have been so popular that there has been books just written about these rules in this book. These rules, help guide anybody who wants to be a boss or going to be a boss. These rules, are rules that Colin gathered along his military days. Many of his stories mentioned in this chapter of the book came from a military experience. The abutting few chapters talked about are simple, but biggest missed concepts of being not only a great person but leader in charge. A few of the best chapters are, “Know yourself, be yourself, trust your people, mutual respect, and kindness works” (Powell 31,45,73,77). These chapters all have something in common and that would be how to act and be responsible human beings. This is a paramount concept, because periodically this is left out of an exceptional leader. This is one step that could help compose a decent leader, into a leader that everybody wishes to be. Another key chapter, “Take care of the troops” is about how to aid your troops to be mentally, physically, and emotionally prepared for anything. One thought that was interesting as a reader, would be how he mentions that sometime these troops need an off day. A quote that is interesting is when collin says, “Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work and play

My leadership philosophy revolves entirely around the Army Values. In every action I take as a leader, I assess whether or not it lines up with the Army Values and the potential impacts. I have had a variety of leadership assignments during my career, all requiring a different leadership approach, spanning from team leader through platoon sergeant. My conflict resolution skills have greatly evolved through my twelve years in the Army, from rudimentary conversations to in depth problem solving. My professional development has had a profound effect on my leadership abilities, from NCOPD’s to mentorship from senior non-commissioned officers (NCO’s).

In his book “It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership,” Powell talks about his 13 rules he developed and continues to live by to this day. The rules range from checking you ego and staying optimistic. He gives different examples of his 13 rules with stories and tips that are both thought provoking and value focused regardless if the audience is military or civilian. In my review and analysis I will cover some of

The second principle, “The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” I also identify with Colin Powell’s seventeenth principle, “Have fun in your command. Don’t always run at a breakneck pace. Take leave when you’ve earned it: Spend time with your families. Corollary: Surround yourself with people who take their work seriously, but not themselves, those who work hard and play hard.”

The book, Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell by Oren Harari provides an interesting overview of the leadership exhibited by one of the globally known bottom-line leaders in the United States. The exceptional perspective on the role leadership plays is provided in the book, using Powell as the case study. From the perspective provided by the author, the leader is revealed as one who was able to portray successful leadership within the military, although it is a place in which is hard to achieve side-by-side leadership. On the contrary, Powell is able to demonstrate that leadership is more about responsibility and accountability as opposed to privilege and rank. It is all about complete commitment towards a common mission, portraying audacity and determination, evaluation of standards of performance, attending to details, overcoming the status quo, and empowering followers.

Oren Harari had the pleasure, on many occasions, of sitting with Powell to extract from him what he thought made a leader that others would want to follow. From those meetings, he drafted what he called the “Powell Principles.” These form the basis and outline of what Powell believes it means to be a leader. Although it may be beneficial to examine all of these principles, it is impractical within the confinements of this diagnosis. With that being said, we will take a look at the top principles, seek to interpret and tie it together so that one might easily understand.