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The following article is based on an interview with Jack Kahl, Chairmanand CEO of Manco, Inc. October 1999. Jack met with Kristin Woods, Editor,emergingleader.com at his office at "Just Imagine Drive, in Avon, Ohio.

The moment you meet Jack Kahl, you are struck by one immediate thought- This man devours information in every thing he does. His knowledge antennae are up, grasping every bit of information as he moves, and he does not sitstill easily.

There is no doubt -Jack Kahl is a life long learner....his education never ceases. He breathes every molecule of air that contains knowledgebut then- he gives it away. It is the very signature of the man and itis his foundation for leadership. 

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There are four characteristics of effective leaders which I consider foundational. They are not traits which you are either born with or not. Neither are they attributes that you might acquire by learning more about them. I believe these essential leader characteristics are CHOICES that we make. Exemplary leaders are passionate, authentic, credible, and ethical.

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Women managers who have broken the glass ceiling in medium-sized, non traditional organizations have proven that effective leaders don’t come from one mold. They have demonstrated that using the command-and-control style of managing others, a style generally associated with men in large, traditional organizations, is not the only way to succeed.

The first female executives, because they were breaking new ground, adhered to many of the "rules" of conduct" that spelled success for men. Now a second wave of women is making its way into top management, not by adopting the style and habits that have proved successful for men buy by drawing on the skills and attitudes they developed from their shared experience as women. These second-generation managerial women are drawing on what is unique to their socialization as women and crating a different path to the top. They are seeking and finding opportunities in fast-changing and growing organizations to show that they can achieve results - in a different way. They are succeeding because of - not in spite of - certain characteristics generally considered to be feminine" and inappropriate in leaders.

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The Leader
by Francisco B. S. Magalhaes

The director, manager or supervisor are leaders by delegation of power. Through this power - they initiate action; however, power does not guarantee leadership... for a real leader must learn to recognize the limitations of the real world and try to make possible tomorrow, what seemed impossible yesterday.

For this to happen, he must learn to develop the invisible world of peoples minds and to open the human heart. It is by the actions of followers that leaders are born.

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Excerpt from Emotional Intelligence
by Daniel Goleman

What seems to set apart those at the very top of competitive pursuits from others of roughly equal ability is the degree to which, beginning early in life, they can pursue an arduous practice routine for years and years. And that doggedness depends on emotional traits - enthusiasm and persistence in the face of setbacks - above all else.

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Interview with Arthur Battiste

In the spirit of sharing our lessons learned, Art Battiste has contributed an interview done by a Graduate student who sought to tap into his wealth of experiences and thoughts on leadership. The interview is a great example of "lessons learned" and serves as a great resource for others to learn from or, for those already experienced, serves as a great way to compare and contrast ideas.

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Self-Leadership: Leading Yourself To Personal Excellence
by Christopher P. Neck and Charles C. Manz

This is not an article about the leadership of others. Instead, it is about something more fundamental and more powerful---self-leadership. It is about the leadership that we exercise over ourselves. In fact, we argue that if we ever hope to be effective leaders of others, we must first be effective leaders of ourselves. To better understand the process of self-leadership and how we can improve our capability in this area, we should first explore the meaning of the word "leadership."

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The High Stakes Leadership Trade Off
by Kristin Woods

In order to lead an organization today, you must push your physical and mental endurance to the capping point. You must be willing to accept new ideas, new techniques and think in the abstract. This requires an open mind. And, somewhere along the way all good ideas must be formulated. We may need to think differently, admit to small failures and include others in the decision making process.

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Communication is Paramount
by Jerry M. Bodman, Staff Writer

The art of leadership encompasses many variables; however, this is one constant- communication. To be an effective leader you must be able to communicate your vision, thoughts and ideas in a manner that produces the greatest results. Never has this principle been more evident than in today’s society of e-mail, voice mail and the Internet, where information overload is the norm. Step into any modern office and you will find people busily creating documents or communicating electronically trying to stay abreast of technology and deadlines.

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Notes from "Leadership Endurance" by General Norman Schwarzkopf.

There are great leaders and then there are great men - what a stellar combination when the two are blended in to one dynamic person, General Norman Schwarzkopf is one of the few. So as you can imagine we were ecstatic when we received a letter from a reader who had the pleasure of attending a videoconference entitled "Leadership Endurance" given by General Norman Schwarzkopf. Fortunately for us our reader took notes and we have chosen to share those notes with you to give you the insight our reader found so valuable. Enjoy!

Volunteerism and Leadership: A great partnership.
by Jerry M. Bodman, Staff Writer

Leaders exhibit characteristics such as being proactive, innovative, and visionary that demonstrate the ability to lead their teams on to new and challenging horizons. These characteristics will serve better after being honed through experience and practice. Volunteerism presents an opportunity for leaders to learn and practice skills while helping others. Here is how you as a leader can give and get more from being a volunteer.

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A Different Leadership Yardstick
by Brent Filson

It's a common occurrence, a CEO leads a company to record earnings, retires and in just a couple of years, those once high-flying earnings are dropping like shot ducks. Observers blame the new leadership team. But most likely the observers are wrong. It's not just the new leaders who are screwing up. Instead, it was most likely the former CEO. Yes, the former, supposedly great CEO. Look to him for what went wrong — and what went wrong provides lessons for leaders at all levels.

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