IN SEARCH OF EXECUTIVE INTEGRITY

words, “They (the successful and responsible leaders or “Level 5” leaders) channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company. It is not that Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest. Indeed, they are incredibly ambitious – but their ambition is first and foremost for the institution, not themselves.”

Therefore, what would we do differently if we tasked ourselves with promoting more corporate excellence? First, it helps to have some insight into the executive terrain.

In my work as a psychologist who studies excellence in the workplace, I find that honorable people in executive roles, not unlike others with demanding jobs and family responsibilities, can lose touch with themselves and their values. They can get caught up in the pressures of working hard, proving their value, and producing (often short-term) results. They can see their world as full of “should” and “paying dues,” and less about personal choices or having their own individual signatures.

This myopic view prevents them from address a very important part of their role as a leader: creating a legacy they can --- and should --- be proud of. Studies have found that people at the end of their lives are more likely to feel angst about not having lived a life of meaning than about not having had enough wealth. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, who has extensively studied death and dying, summarized all related research showing that, when people look back on their lives, they look to three questions to tell them and others whether or not their lives were significant: (1) Did I become all that I can be? (2) Did I leave the world better for having been alive? (3) Did I give and receive love?

What gives us meaning and what keeps us on track is connecting who we are and what we care about with how we spend our time. For executives, this connection involves work and their capacity to influence the hearts and minds of many people.

Most executives that I work with want to lead others responsibly and to improve the way things are. Their work is the avenue they choose to use to make their mark. This is where they look to answer the questions: Have I made a difference? Am I all that I can be? But they need to ask more specifically: Have I made the difference that I am uniquely called upon and suited to make? That answer does not lie in a job description or a boss directive: it lies in our individual leadership commitments.

Personal Leadership Statement

To know if you have made a difference, you have to know what you set out to accomplish. Executives are asked to create a mission, vision or strategy for their business… But what about creating their individual mission? A personal mission guides how an executive will work to lead others to fulfill the mission they have laid out for the business. It is key in helping them stay focused on what they are good at, what they are called upon to do, what they want to be remembered for, and what, authentically, gives them meaning.

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