You Don’t Need A High IQ To Be A Great Leader: Here’s What You Need Instead
Secrets from the 1940s
“Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.”
— Jim Rohn
I found this great book at my Dad’s house a few years ago. It’s a real treasure. I like the title, and even though it was published in 1946, it’s still relevant today. It’s called Developing Your Executive Ability. It researches the development of the executive personality and where it comes from.
What is it that makes some people succeed, while others keep missing the mark? Is it a natural ability, or something we can learn?
According to the author, Howard Smith, an executive personality is a personality of leadership. They have influence. They get on with people.
So what’s their secret to success?.. let’s find out:
The book is divided into two parts. In the first part, a blueprint of the successful executive is developed by the contribution of hundreds of successful executives, and the second part presents intimate interviews of the procedures and philosophies of the current executives.
Comparisons are then made between the blueprint and real-life executives.
In the findings, Howard reports 11 habits of a top executive personality.
11 habits of the executive personality
1. Absolute sincerity — it is entirely possible to be successful and maintain absolute sincerity.
2. Sympathetic rapport — for example, being patient with the slower thinking man. The executive should not forget that he is being paid for his fast thinking ability.
3. Smile — life is a mirror. When you smile, others smile back at you.
4. Agreeable Voice — the voice is a vital factor in the personality (think of radio voices such as the late Terry Wogan). ‘With your voice, you can reveal your whole character to the intuitive.’
5. Listener, learner attitude — the executive must have the attitude that “I can learn from every man.” This compliments the other person.
6. Judicial attitude — the executive’s habit is — get the facts and then evaluate the facts fairly.
7. Animation enthusiasm — men never follow ‘inert’ personalities.
8. Moral courage — we respect men who live courageously.
9. The true executive thinks, stands, sits, walks, talks like a leader.
10. Confidence without aggressiveness — any self-respecting man resents the domineering, aggressive personality.
11. Neighbourly — common as — an — old — shoe manner — they are humble.
Throughout the book, Smith describes the qualities and abilities of a top executive in this way:
- He thinks creatively
- He makes decisions efficiently
- He takes action
- He is health-conscious
- He resolves anxieties readily
- He’s always learning
- He’s disciplined
- He delegates
- He communicates effectively
- He accepts responsibility easily
- He’s a good public speaker
In the second part, the interviews were recorded. The insights were interesting and illuminating, to say the least. At a glance, it was difficult for the reporters to see the executive’s qualities.
The difficulty lay in the fact that they were humble and unassuming — without any hint of arrogance. In fact, quite the opposite, they were gracious and had an unhurried presence.
One interviewer described a particular executive as genuinely friendly, frank, with a sensitive rapport. He had a way about him that made the reporter feel immediately comfortable.
One inquiring reporter was eager to uncover the executive’s secret to success. He was keen to know how Mr. Executive got to where he was? He had to probe to find it though but concluded that if you talk with an executive for long enough and draw him out, a rather clear picture begins to emerge. The skills discussed above are present in the subject in various proportions and degrees.
Every executive is different — an individual. There is no standard type of executive. They are a combination of many things and they all gained different skills and experiences over the years in different ways. A combination of education with work and life experiences taught them what they know.
As one of the interviewers probed an executive, ‘he started to talk with that fluency, that conviction, that analysis, that overview, that philosophy of his business the interviewer had encountered in every successful executive he had questioned.’
They had a fire in their belly
This was a common attribute with all the executives interviewed. They were hungry for more and they wanted to be somebody.
You might say to yourself, ‘well, they’re a special kind of breed and probably highly intelligent,’ but you’d be wrong, as the research shows that it is people with only a fair IQ (Intelligence Quotient) that goes to the top.
This means that they are invariably high in something else, something no psychologist can measure.
How to build a fire under you?
The first question you need to ask yourself is, are you eager enough to advance? Are you hungry for success?
Being satisfied with your current state is seen as a danger sign.
Here are some of the top secrets of a successful executive that you can apply to your daily life:
- Be focused on where you want to go
- Cultivate friendships with people who are already doing it
- Set yourself in the way of inspiration
- Have a good and proper philosophy of life
- Love what you do
- Respect the ego of the other man
- Show genuine concern
- Respect your team
- Make time for creative ideas to emerge
- Keep up to date — never stop learning
- Lead by example
- Develop leaders
- Be curious
- Develop the habit of observation
I hope you found these tips useful. Success demands commitment and passion. That comes with knowing what you want to do and then doing it with all your heart and soul.
I’ll leave you with one more extract from the book..
One executive was asked…
“What blocks men from becoming executives?” His reply was:“Attitudes of mind, more than anything else.”
So, don’t let your attitude of mind stop you from being a great leader today.
