Living legends aren’t easy to come by. Actually shaking one’s hand is a very special experience. Seeing the noble and flawed human who represents the legend is really encouraging. The imperfections allow one to accept the truth of the person’s accomplishments.
Warren Bennis is one of the Twin Towers of leadership thinking, standing equal in stature and contribution to that other institution of corporate leadership advice, Peter Drucker. Dr. Bennis has written dozens of books on the subject, and has advised Presidents. Listening to his talk during a lecture in 2008, as part of the Herb Klein series put on by USC at the Torrey Pines Lodge, I was ready to be hit by lightning. It didn’t take long for the sparks to fly.
“Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself.”
Dr. Bennis can encapsulate incredibly deep and valuable concepts in a short sentence. Upon hearing this statement, I could immediately translate it into countless examples from my own field studies of leadership. I knew instantly that what he said was true, even though I had not thought of it in those terms. The implications of this statement are pretty staggering. If it is indeed true, then leadership development efforts would be best designed which increased self-awareness and concurrently increased self-expression. Of course, I know that Dr. Bennis would have listed a few necessary preconditions, defining characteristics of the persons to whom this statement might apply. A modicum of perceptual and strategic intelligence might be a required ingredient. And sociopaths might not become great leaders by simply behaving authentically. But we can’t teach character very effectively to “mature” adults anyway. It’s largely solidified, in whatever form it appears, by the time a person gets to the stage of earning one’s own livelihood.
Dr. Bennis offered many other memorable concepts, deftly phrased. Here’s one that also resonated with me: “Many leaders are seduced by the press.” The flattery of public attention can warp one’s impression of one’s own place in the world. The seduction is complete when the leader is more concerned about how to get the media’s attention than about the accomplishment of the team’s objectives. (Ralph Nader comes to mind.) Another concept he offered was one of “principled envy”, which he confessed of himself in relation to Herb Klein. What a wonderful thing to say of another accomplished individual. It says, “I wish I could have done what you have, Herb, and I celebrate your accomplishments without frustration or anger towards myself or you.”
I was impressed by Dr. Bennis’ constant reference to other notable people and what we could learn from their actions and their words. At one point in the talk, in a single long breath, Dr. Bennis quoted no less than eight well-known, accomplished people, with whom he had personal relationships. I later thumbed through his books on the back table and found them to be essentially a compilation of quotes from people we all should pay attention to. His leadership book was like an edited anthology of significant lessons from leaders who would rank highly on anyone’s list. Unlike other academic approaches to leadership, epitomized by the rather dry expressions found in the Harvard Business Review, Dr. Bennis’ efforts to communicate the principles of leadership were very human, personal and rich with texture. Even before his talk began, he took the time to identify all the warm, human elements of our environment and collected audience. He was right to do so. There we sat in a lovely room at Torrey Pines Lodge, overlooking the sculpted arcs of grass and trees, the pastel blue ocean and the summer clouds. The sun had recently finished its long journey overhead. The glowing tips of tree limbs were the goodbye kisses of a California sunset. Dr. Bennis is a living reminder of how business is nothing without its humanity. Certainly leadership cannot succeed without a deep understanding of that simple yet complex reality.
Herb Klein himself introduced Dr. Bennis, with grace and articulate wit. His slow trek from the front row to the podium, behind his walker, showed a man whose shoulders have curved down from the weight of life and accomplishment. I’ve seen this kind of strength before, the kind of steely determination my Grandpa Roy had. It’s a kind of strength that comes from experiencing great joy and great pain. Herb is one of those remarkable people who learned that the pain is always just around the corner, but it can’t stop us from feeling joy in this moment if we don’t let it.
With these fine men in front of me, I had to ask the logical question: “Dr. Bennis, what advice would you have for the next leader of the United States?” In 2008 his advice was as relevant for that Presidential election as the one in 2012.
He said, “Care more about how our grandchildren may be doing than your ratings in the polls.”