The Five Dimensions of Leadership

Leadership has been referred to as an art. Art by definition is the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.

Leadership is indeed an artistic expression and as such should not be one dimensional. One dimensional leaders cannot provide the kind of leadership that leads to innovation, social change and business transformation. True leaders display artistic mastery and are able to re-create, restore and reconstruct an organization from its ruins. Their touch can bring an ailing organization back to life. 

Anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm."  ~ Publilius Syrus

The Five Dimensions of Multifaceted Leadership include the leader as an:

• Artist, Architect, Potter, Sculptor and Music Conductor.

Numerous companies have been on the brink of disaster only to be brought back to life under new leadership.

1. A Leader as an Artist - Great leaders are able to paint a Vision that projects optimism and inspire others to work towards creating it. “How earnestly and perseveringly the artist labours to transfer to canvas a perfect likeness of his model.” It’s so clear, real and tangible that they infuse passion and energy into their work and those they lead.

Steve Jobs (Apple CEO from 1996-2011)

Steve Jobs Apple’s Co-founder left the company in 1985 after a bitter power struggle. Apple rehired him to lead  their recovery in 1996 when the company was struggling and stock prices had tumbled. He became CEO in 1997. His focus was on creating the next big thing. As the new CEO of the company, Jobs oversaw the development of iMac, the iPod, iTunes and the iPhone. He also restored Apple's image as a technological leader.

2. A Leader as an Architect - He/ She designs blueprints of the future through Planning, Organizing and Goal setting to give clear Direction. A leader instinctively conveys the best course of action for their followers to pursue. They focus on creating and maintaining the conditions for effectively executing plans. 

Ed Whitacre (GM CEO from 2009-2010)

On June 9, 2009, General Motors named Ed Whitacre as chairman. He took the position when the automaker emerged from bankruptcy proceedings and were facing  government bailout. He restructured the company's holdings and cancelled projects that seemed unprofitable. Under his leadership, GM launched the biggest IPO in history at $23.1 billion. Whitacre had stated he would leave after “returning GM to greatness.” He stepped down from his post in September 2010.

3. A Leader as a Potter - A fundamental purpose inherent to most artistic disciplines is the underlying intention to appeal to, and connect with, human emotion. A leader as a Potter is focused on relationship building and team building . He / She is guided by values and principles and gets personal in

molding, shaping and refining their followers. They build teams rather than groups. Their focus is on the people that create the results.

Doug Conant (Campbell's Soup CEO from 2001- 2011)

Doug Conant took over the role of CEO at Campbell’s Soup in 2001. Sales were falling due to poor management's decisions to raise prices and the company had lost half its market value. Conant believed the key to a successful company was employee engagement. The strategy isn’t complicated. “To win in the marketplace,” he has said, “we believe you must first win in the workplace." I’m obsessed with keeping employee engagement front and center and keeping up energy around it.

4. A Leader as a Sculptor - Removing obstacles; This is where a leader must eliminate entrenched policies, procedures and practices that thwart efforts to realize the vision. They may be bureaucratic, technological, procedural, or simple artifacts inclusive of old ways of thinking. A leader needs to weigh the RIO (return on investment) on removing obstacles. It’s important to clarify priorities, provide adequate resources and welcome feedback..

Gordon Bethune (Continental Airlines CEO from 1994-2004)

When Gordon Bethune took over in 1994 as COO and President of Continental Airlines the troubled airline had twice faced bankruptcy and was again headed that direction. The company's performance ranked last for industry metrics. Bethune quickly made his mark on the carrier recognizing that a good airline was defined by customer satisfaction. Continental went from being ranked last in every measurable performance category to winning more J.D. Power and Associates awards for customer satisfaction than any other airline in the world.

5.  A leader as a Music Conductor - People are hired to produce deliverables or outputs in the belief that the effort will lead to an outcome, such as more revenue, higher profits, strategic alliances, greater market penetration, and higher retention of customers. Leaders act as guides to the organizations they lead.

Four key Performance Indicators:

• Financial Performance
• Stakeholder and Customer Satisfaction
• Internal Process Quality
• Employee Satisfaction

Richard Teerlink (Harley Davidson CEO from 1989-1997)

Richard Teerlink joined Harley Davidson in 1981 as CFO. At this time the company had U.S. market share of 15% and had reported a loss of $15 million. Teerlink became CEO in 1989 and focused mainly on increasing quality and improving service to customers and dealers. By the end of his tenure, Harley Davidson recovered its U.S. market share to 50 percent and posted annual sales of more than $1.7 billion. Teerlink left his post as CEO in 1997, and served on Harley Davidson’s board of directors until 2002. 

Conquering the five dimensions of leadership is a balancing act only the most accomplished leaders master. If you’re a leader, are you performing within this spectrum?

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