Lean Quote: Powell’s 13 Rules of Leadership

On Fridays I will post a Lean related Quote. Throughout our lifetimes many people touch our lives and leave us with words of wisdom. These can both be a source of new learning and also a point to pause and reflect upon lessons we have learned. Within Lean active learning is an important aspect on this journey because without learning we can not improve.

"The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not a bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor, but without folly."   —  Jim Roh

Most leadership philosophies are built around a list that captures the essence of how a specific leader actually leads. Colin Powell was no different. 

Colin Powell (1937-2021), led the State Department as secretary of state and the military as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also served as a four-star general in the U.S. Army. 

Powell offered 13 rules for leadership in his 2012 memoir, It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership. They are lightly edited here.

1. It ain’t as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning. Leaving the office at night with a winning attitude affects more than you alone; it also conveys that attitude to your followers.
2. Get mad, then get over it. Everyone gets mad. It’s a natural and healthy emotion. My experience is that staying mad isn’t useful.
3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it. Accept that your position was faulty, not your ego.
4. It can be done. Have a positive and enthusiastic approach to every task. Don’t surround yourself with instant skeptics.
5. Be careful what you choose: You may get it. You will have to live with your choices. Some bad choices can be corrected. Some you’ll be stuck with.
6. Don’t let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision. Superior leadership is often a matter of superb instinct. When faced with a tough decision, use the time available to gather information that will inform your instinct.
7. You can’t make someone else’s choices. You shouldn’t let someone else make yours. Make sure the choice is yours and you are not responding to the pressure and desire of others.
8. Check small things. Leaders have to have a feel for small things — a feel for what is going on in the depths of an organization where small things reside.
9. Share credit. People need recognition and a sense of worth as much as they need food and water.
10. Remain calm. Be kind. Few people make sound or sustainable decisions in an atmosphere of chaos.
11. Have a vision. Be demanding. Followers need to know where their leaders are taking them and for what purpose. Good leaders set vision, mission, and goals.
12. Don’t take counsel of your fears or naysayers. Those who do risk wasting their time and energy.
13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. If you believe in the likelihood of success, your followers will too.

Colin Powell’s short rules are full of wisdom and application.  They remain powerful lessons for any leader. These rules encourage leaders to manage their emotions effectively, have a realistic sense of who they are as a person, model the behavior they want from others, take tough stands as appropriate, and treat their teams with respect.

We can all do well with these 13 rules!