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may take some time. Like a well thought-
through Act of Congress, it involves hard
thinking, research and a lot of dialog. This is
not a process where the leader who has all the
answers squelches the independent thinking
of everyone, so there is little movement into
the future. Rather, this leader facilitates the
best thinking from all around the table.
When the organization finally arrives at its
guiding principles, then, and only then, is
it free to develop its vision and goals, both
short- and long-term. I disagree with the
commonly-asserted idea that vision must
come from the leader. It may. It is better,
though, when it is organically derived in the
organization, with input and honing from the
best thinking of everyone in organizational
leadership positions.
Once the organization is clear about its
guiding principles, it can hold up to those
principles every decision needing to be
made, to see how the decision aligns with
the principles of the organization.This makes
leadership infinitely smoother. A leader
becomes the major facilitator in the honing
out of principles. He or she enables people to
do what they came there to do, and to be their
best selves. Guiding principles are there as a
calming influence.
However, guiding principles are calming
only when people refer to them, so one of
the jobs of leadership is to remember to refer
the group to the principles at crucial times
of decision-making and strategic planning.
When guiding principles are referred to, it
is calming to the group, because it takes the
group to a higher plane than that involved
in the intensity of emotion or the rancor of
personality clashes. Everyone loves working
in this open, thoughtful kind of atmosphere.
Does the leader need personal guiding
principles? Absolutely! Again, for each of us,
they take time and sometimes research, to
work out, and much thought. Then they are
tried out in the crucible of life experience. If
they don’t work out in that laboratory, they
are changed to fit life experience.
Guiding principles, for individuals or for
organizations, are not set in concrete. They
can be modified if new data become available.
But when they are well worked out and
readily available, they make for a life – and
leadership – lived on a higher level. A calmer,
more thoughtful person is one who is led by
his or her own guiding principles. He or she
carries around much less anxiety than most
people. Relationships are easier. They are
a joy to be around. We’d all like to be that
kind of person. The organizations they lead
are more efficient, bringing out more and
better products, services, and ways of doing
things. Guiding principles are a large part of
the secret of these high-level leaders and of
their organizations.
Dr. Roberta Gilbert is the author of several books,
including Extraordinary Relationships, The Eight
Concepts of Bowen Thinking, Extraordinary Leadership,
and The Cornerstone Concept.