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Read what some commentators think about leadership. Do you agree with their ideas?
Leadership is not magnetic personality - that can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not 'making friends and influencing people' - that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher things, the raising of a person's performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.
Peter F. Drucker, author and management theorist
A leader is best when people barely know he exists, not so good when people obey and acclaim him, worse when they despise him. ... But of a good leader who talks little when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say, 'We did it ourselves'.
Anonymous
Good leaders make people feel that they're at the heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels he or she makes a difference to the success of the organisation. When that happens, people feel centred and that gives their work meaning.
Warren Bennis, author and professor of business
administration
If there is a trait that does characterise leaders it is opportunism. Leaders are people who seize opportunity and take risks. Leadership then seems to be a matter of personality and character.
John Viney, former Chairman of Heidrick and Struggles, top recruitment
| Listening Leadership qualities |
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| Nelson Mandela |
| Bernie Ellis |
| Winston Churchill |
consultants
012.1 Max Landsberg is a partner at Heidrick and Struggles, the international executive search consultants. Listen to the first part of an interview. What three qualities do leaders of large companies usually have?
012.2 Listen to the second part of the interview. Max talks about the ways that leaders can develop their skills.
1Match the following percentages - 70%, 20%, 10% - with the development activity.
a) training b) coaching c) on the job
2What, according to Max, is the main way that companies develop leaders?
012.3 Listen to the third part of the interview. Max talks about three leaders that have influenced or impressed him. Make notes on what he says about each one.
| The founder of Ikea |
| drive an old car travel first class be dyslexic be formal |
The following article is about Ingvar Kamprad, the founder of Ikea, the home furnishings retail giant. Which of the following do you expect Ingvar to do or to be?
be careful with money dress smartly love detail
make short-term decisions