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If a leader does wrong someone, it is crucial to offer a quick and genuine
apology, and it is helpful to make restitution where possible. Personal
pride shouldn’t get in the way of doing the right thing. It is easy to
rationalize one’s behavior, but a caring leader learns that sincerity is at the

heart of an effective apology.

Watergate wasn’t so much a burglary as it was the failure to recognize
mistakes, to take responsibility for them, and to apologize accordingly. Jon
Huntsman, Chairman of the Huntsman Corp.

Staying Focused

A good leader remains focused . . . Controlling your direction is better than
being controlled by it. Jack Welch, former General Electric chairman.

Leaders need to focus their attention. This is the ability to clearly set the
competitive priorities for their organization in the marketplace and then
focus the energy and resources of the organization toward the achievement
of those priorities. The best leaders take complexity and bring simplicity to
it through a focus on problem-solving and prioritization, or even just

getting things into alignment. This is a behavioral pattern that leaders
need to have. For example, Jim Collins’ widely acclaimed book Good to
Great concludes from his five years of research that the very best leaders
(Level V as he refers to them) possess two competencies: a resolute and
unflinching focus on the purpose of the organization coupled with a deep
sense of humility.

One of the simpler ways to develop a stronger sense of focus is to use “to-
do” lists. Making a to-do list at the beginning of every day or week can
make you feel more focused and motivated to continue your work. If you
make a list of all the things you have to do and then set priorities for them,

no matter how small, you will feel more accomplished when you check
those items off your list and move on to the next task. This will also keep
you focused on one task at a time, and the prioritization will ensure that
the most important tasks get done.

David Kolzow 92