by Mike Ososki, PMP, Communications Committee
The PMI crowd loved it and were held in rapt attention. General David Poythress’ warm and polished delivery seamlessly wove personal storytelling with deep wisdom. If you missed 2015’s opening Dunwoody Dinner, it’s too late for you to attend the live event. But you can still experience a vicarious thrill and share the essential content wisdom via the written word. Please read on...
Much has been written on leadership from a wide variety of perspectives, with no universal definition. David’s approach is decidedly intuitive and experience-based. He subscribes to the “I know it when I see it” school, citing real life examples by observing the effects of leadership. In David’s view, perhaps more than any other one word, “trust” best summarizes its most essential ingredient.
It takes at least 2 to tango: in this case, the leader and his/her team. David breaks it down yet further, into 4 relationships. The first is self-to-self. Does the leader possess a strong conviction of self-trust? This is confidence in your own good judgment (not arrogance). It is typically only in private moments, among close confidantes, that strong leaders exhibit self-doubt. Leading your team, it is not an aspect you want them to sense from you very often or strongly.