Hard to remember leaders

Let me give you a test. Could you name me the last five presidents of America? Let’s go closer to home – could you name me the last five presidents of the Philippines? Were you able to blurt out the names quickly, or did it take you quite a while to dig deep into your memory for the answers?

While it’s hard for us to remember world leaders who have grabbed the daily headlines of our country’s respected newspapers, it’s even harder to remember the great leaders of the business organization we’re in no matter how famous they’ve been when they held the reins of leadership. If you don’t believe me, then try naming the leaders of your business for the last 50 years, and see how far you get. That is, of course, assuming that your company has that long a history.

Have you ever considered how you will be remembered?

The truth is, no executive anywhere will be remembered for their prowess and mastery when it comes to PowerPoint presentations. (But I suspect that many will be remembered for presenting long and boring ones.) And perhaps none will be remembered for closing the month-end accounts on time. While this is the reality, you and I still need to make our mark.

Almost everyone – if not all – dreams to climb to the top of the leadership ladder. This requires standing out and performing better than our colleagues. Doing well is never enough; everyone is expected to do well. You and I need to have a distinctive claim to fame. While this idea may sound egoistic, it’s actually a practical idea that calls for a great deal of humility.

A good claim to fame is going above and beyond your normal output. Accept a challenging project. Lead an initiative that cuts across the organization. Introduce a new idea or an improved way of working. Make yourself remarkable. Remarkable simply means worth remarking about. This brings in traction, but it’s not a one-shot deal; you will have to consistently deliver!

Now let me bring you to the other side of the spectrum. You and I easily remember presidents and perhaps prime ministers known for their mischief and/or misbehavior. Indeed, it’s easier to be remembered for the wrong thing.

Here’s my point: you and I are more likely to be remembered for how we are as much as for what we do. Our appearance, demeanor, behavior, especially in view of senior management – all these things count in the creation of our persona. Rather than making our mark as a jerk, insensitive and hard to please, it’ll be better if we make our mark by being consistently helpful, inspiring, positive, reliable, competent, and predisposed to action and execution.

There is no such thing as a perfect leader. If there is, then we’ll have to crucify him (or her) on the cross. But in order to climb up the leadership ladder, you have to out-perform and out-behave your colleagues in a relevant, ethical and professional way. Be ready to take on new challenges, be equipped to take on new skills, be constantly learning in order to be updated and informed, and be humble to accept corrections and show the world you are, after all, human.

Develop your people, but develop yourself first. Don’t constantly seek to be remembered. Just work on your character and your competence, and they will remember you. This is how you will be remembered.

(Leadership skills are very much life skills. Spend two whole days with Francis Kong discovering the beauty of both on Sept. 12-13 at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. For further inquiries, contact Inspire at 09158055910, or call 632-6310912 for details.)