Effective executives come in all shapes and sizes. Unfortunately, society has an idealized vision of how an executive should act; think Steve Jobs. Even HR folks expect their new executive hires to be exceptional “people persons” who are naturally extroverted, who can and do take the time to listen empathically to their employees, who have the capacity to be both calm and enthusiastic and never fly off the handle.
That’s quite a demanding list. However, they also expect these executives to be strategic, methodical, and master tacticians in leading and managing their organizations. Give me a break.
To me, effective means that the executives run financially successful organizations, are respected by their employees and customers, and are good corporate citizens. They’re human, with human frailties and imperfections. They try to do their jobs well, care about their people and try to leave a good corporate footprint. Just as all humans are varied, some effective executives are quiet types while others fit the stereotype of the charismatic leader.
Clearly the criterion for effectiveness needs to concentrate on actions and outcomes, not on personality traits. As the late Peter Ducker wrote ‘… some of the best CEOs I’ve worked with … were not stereotypical leaders. They were all over the map in terms of their personalities, attitudes, values, strengths, and weaknesses. They ranged from extroverted to nearly…
