The third and final factor in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger that measures a leader's effectiveness is Relationships. According to Brady and Woodward, "The category of relationships measures the ability to get along with and form lasting bonds with people. No leader can experience success alone."
The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines to lead as: to guide someone or something along a way.
By its nature, leading and leadership requires other people. John Maxwell has famously stated that “He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk.” Effective Leadership requires building rapport with others. Stephen M. R. Covey calls it the Speed of Trust. People must trust the leader or they will not follow.
Further, the relationships need to be nurtured and deepened over time.
Recently Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim passed away at the age of 91. Sondheim had a stellar career as a composer and lyricist. He dominated musical theater for decades having won 8 Tony Awards, 8 Grammy Awards, and one Academy Award. What is striking about Sondheim is the relationships he developed over time. If you watch his Tony acceptance speeches, you will see him repeatedly thanking his orchestrator and his conductor. Over the years they were the same people. For people to have that kind of longevity only comes from building a deep relationship over time. Sondheim was definitely an amazing artist, but also was a very effective leader in his field!
Going forward I will explore the qualities that Brady and Woodward present as needing to be present to build effective and lasting relationships.
Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution." Business Plus. New York. p.97
John C. Maxwell: "Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know". Thomas Nelson Inc. Nashville, TN. p. 69.
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