As a leader, I learned that the “Five M’s and Two S’s” were the keys to effective and meaningful leadership.  The Five M’s are mission, mentor, model, motivate and multiply.  The Two S’s are stewardship and servant.  Keeping these seven words in mind when attempting to lead others has proven to be the catalyst by which I have measured my success, or failure, as a leader.

 

The Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Criteria’s Leadership Category examines how an organization’s senior leaders guide and sustain an organization.  Additionally, it examines how an organization is governed and how it addresses its ethical, legal and community responsibilities.  The questions posed in Category 1 challenge the greatest of leaders to ask how you really know you are leading in such a manner that guarantees your organization will become a high-performing, innovative and “best-in-class” company, one that gains market share, increases profitability, and achieves world-class results.  Simply stated, it is THE template that, if used, will help leaders think strategically; sustain results; align processes, people, and resources; and be the framework that will aid in planning and measuring performance in an uncertain and challenging healthcare environment. 

 

Great leaders lead by asking questions which encourage dissatisfaction with the status quo.  Some of those questions include...READ FULL ARTICLE

It’s the Holy Grail, the unreachable star.  That’s how most of us view our personal pursuits toward mastery in any aspect of life, including excellence in leadership.

 

That’s precisely how I feel about hitting that little white ball.  It sits politely at rest, a seemingly vulnerable target.  I sometimes imagine the ball, seconds later, hiding in the woods and mocking my feeble “Tiger” imitation.  And my ball knows that, even if I find it, I may hit it back in the woods on the next shot.  Yes, mastery is elusive.