I received these five questions from different organizations, from different industries, and from varied parts of the world.

What do these dissimilar questions have in common?

Apparently … not much. Most likely - every single question needs a particular answer.

However - there are leadership PRINCIPLES that you can apply and customize to answer innumerable critical situations - including these five questions here above.

What is a “principle”?

A principle is a truth that serves as the foundation for effective behavior.

I repeat …

A principle is a fundamental truth - that if you use it - it will help you to perform your most effective behaviors in different circumstances, in order to build the organizational performance you most desire.

In this newsletter issue, I will give you three leadership principles.

Let’s get started …

First principle: You must always be authentic.

Authenticity means three things: Integrity, humbleness, and transparency.

Please - let me define each one for you in behavioral terms.

“Integrity” means that you are one in thought, word and action.

If you ask your people to be punctual but you arrive late - that is not integrity.

Do you trust a leader who does NOT have integrity? Of course you don’t.

Being “humble” means that you have the capacity to ALWAYS learn - especially from your subordinates, from your mistakes, and from everything else.

Who do you tend to trust more? Do you trust more a leader who learns from the people around her and from her own mistakes - or do you tend to trust more an arrogant know-it-all leader?

And being “transparent” means that you present yourself before your employees as you really are: naked (figuratively speaking) - showing both your strengths AND your weaknesses, shortcomings and mistakes.

We are human beings - and by definition - we are not perfect.

Once again - whom do you tend to trust more? Do you tend to trust more a leader who is a “real” human being or a leader who comes across as Superman?

Second principle: Your own values must be aligned with the values of the organization you lead.

Values are not something ethereal floating on the air.

Values are concrete, observable and measurable behaviors.

Your values are embodied in the way you behave on a daily basis.

Let’s say one of your organizational values is “ongoing learning” - but you happen to detest to have to learn new stuff all of the time. Eventually, people will find out about the incongruence between your behavior and this organizational value.

If your values are NOT aligned with the values of the organization you lead - your employees will eventually distrust you, they will become cynical in the end, and consequently performance will suffer.

Third principle: Your own behavior is the main ingredient shaping the culture of the organization you lead.

In other words - the performance of the organization you lead is the best feedback that you can get about your own performance.

For example - if one of your employees is not performing up to your expectations, you must look for the answer to this dilemma in your own behavior - rather than looking at your employee’s behavior.

What are you doing, or not doing - that allows your employee to be mediocre?

Look in the mirror …

You are NOT the victim of the circumstances that prevail inside the organization you lead. On the contrary - you ARE the creator of the state of affairs that exist inside the organization you lead.

You are THE leader. It is your choice.

Conclusion …

Authenticity, values alignment, and culture creation will help you immensely in constructing Trust and an Open communication environment - two core ingredients in organizational high performance.

Now - let me end this May newsletter issue asking you for two small favors …

I love helping people, and although all these strategies that I give to you do not cost you a cent - all I ask in return are two things.

First: Reply back to this email and tell me what you are struggling with right now. Even if it’s something really small, don’t hesitate (your feedback will help me much better meet your needs).

While I can’t respond to every single email I get, I do read each and every one of them.

And second: Send this email (this newsletter issue) to one of your friends and / or coworkers - and if they like it, tell them to subscribe.

This is all I ask from you. That’s a fair trade - isn’t it?

I look forward to hearing from you …

Talk soon,
Joseluis Romero
PS: My actual first name is José Luis – but the majority of people think that my first name is just “José”
Hence, from now on, I will sign as Joseluis - to avoid confusions :-)

Questions? Feedback? Reply to this Newsletter and tell me what you would like future issues to be about.

Feel free to re-send this "Leader Newsletter" to your colleagues.

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