The principle architect of Chik-Fil-A’s culture says no one cares about your leadership skills if you can’t lead like this

Have you ever known a leader who appeared to have it all: vision, creativity, passion, a knack for team building, and a fair share of really good ideas? Yet, no real followers?  



I think we’ve all seen this in one form or another. Maybe you’ve been that person who has wondered why, despite all your leadership skills, there seems to be a general reluctance for people to follow you. For some reason that continues to escape you, there appears to be a general attitude of compliance versus commitment. What’s up with that?    It’s simple not to resolve, but to diagnose. If your heart is not right, no one cares about your skills. 



Contrary to conventional wisdom and much of what is written in the scores of books that line our bookshelves, the presence of leadership skills alone will never produce a great leader. I believe I can prove this to you.  



Think about a leader you know personally and respect completely. What’s the first attribute that comes to mind? I’ve asked this question to thousands of leaders over the years. The answers are extremely diverse. They include passion, their belief in me, integrity, trust, and more. What all these answers have in common is that 95% of the responses are NOT about skills. They can be neatly lumped into a category we call the heart of the leader. 



In my book, Uncommon Greatness , I outline five fundamentals of uncommon leaders. One of these fundamentals is to embody a leader’s heart.



Before I share a quick overview of the five HEART habits, let me quickly say, that skills matter. This should be a blinding flash of the obvious. The question is not whether skills matter. The real issue is determining how you best leverage your leadership skills and become a leader people want to follow. To be an uncommon leader, you must always start with the heart. 



Hunger for wisdom



The best leaders are learners, period. A commitment to lifelong learning is one of the hallmarks of an uncommon leader. When you and I embrace the role of a learner, we are constantly getting smarter. This serves our people and our organization well.



We also demonstrate humility and acknowledge the well-known fact that we don’t know it all. This is a tremendous antidote to the plague of ego and hubris that blunts the impact of far too many leaders.



In the recent global study of more than 4,000 leaders found in Uncommon Greatness , the top, unaided response regarding the chief impediment to their boss’s effectiveness was ego.



When we model this heart habit, we gain the moral authority to ask others to learn and grow. 



Expect the best



Pessimistic leaders are in a really hard spot, and they’re quick to tell you as much. Uncommon leaders are optimistic. As Napoleon said, “Leaders are dealers in hope.” Just imagine how hard it would be to convey hope and cast a vision for a preferred future if you did not believe there could be a preferred future.



Expecting the best does not mean denying reality or looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses. On the contrary, the best leaders are always grounded in reality. Only then can you lead from a position of strength.



Where does this optimism find its source? From the leaders’ belief in their own agency and in their team and/or organization to make the future better than today. This spirit of optimism is found in the heart, not the head. 



Accept responsibility



Uncommon leaders don’t blame others, rather they understand and accept accountability for the outcomes of those they lead. Paradoxically, these same leaders, the ones who will accept ownership when things go sideways, are also quick to give praise and share the spotlight when things go smashingly well. You hear this after many NFL games when the quarterback is interviewed on the sidelines. If the team won, the best players always want to recognize others: “The line was amazing today,” “The defense was rock-solid,” and “The coaches prepared us well for today.” If the team loses and the quarterback is an uncommon leader, you’ll hear comments such as, “I’ve got to play better,” or “I need to step up my game,” and on and on. The same is true in your organization. You’ll never become a leader people want to follow if you throw others under the bus for poor performance, or if you take all the credit when things go well. 



Respond with courage



Virtually every decision a leader makes requires some measure of courage— maybe a tiny amount or perhaps a massive dose. Think about the daily or weekly decisions and actions you take.




Who should we hire?



What strategy should we set?



Which product should we offer?



Which one(s) should we discontinue?



Where should we invest our limited capital?



Which meeting should I attend when I find myself overbooked?



What feedback should I give my boss?




The moments requiring courage are infinite. Whether you consider yourself a naturally courageous leader or not. Courage is like a muscle. The more you use it, the stronger it becomes. Courage is an indispensable element of uncommon leadership. 



Think “others first”



Years ago, while working on a book about these five HEART habits, my publisher asked me which was most important. Honestly, I initially considered his question impossible to answer. I believe all five of the traits to be critical to our success as leaders.



However, upon further reflection, I decided there was a “first among equals” on our list. Think “others first” is the one. If we want to become a leader people want to follow, we must cultivate the ability to put the needs of others, and our organization, above our own.  



Skills matter, contrary to the title of this article, but don’t be deceived. Unless you harness your skills in tandem with the right heart, your skills become irrelevant. The strength of your heart will always multiply the impact of your skills.