In my studies of leadership over the past 30 years, I have identified nine habits that contagious leaders practice – religiously. Nine habits that are easy to do and that if practiced over and over and over will make you a contagious leader AND will create more contagious leaders. The habits are:

• Spotlighting
• Cultivating Character
• Involved Recognition
• Looking to Greatness
• Vibrant Communication
• Unobstructed Vision
• Touching Lives
• A Passionate Stand
• Permission Mentoring

SPOTLIGHTING
Our first habit that is practiced by Contagious Leaders is Spotlighting. Spotlighting is the habit of focusing attention directly or indirectly on the efforts and accomplishments of another person or group.

CULTIVATING CHARACTER
Our second habit, Cultivating Character, is the habit of making responsible choices about HOW we do things, not just WHAT we do.

INVOLVED RECOGNITION
Let’s turn to our third habit, Involved Recognition. This is the habit of articulating specific actions that deserve praise.

How hard can this be? You’d be surprised. In my studies of leadership, I’ve identified three forms of recognition that are commonly used: Contained Recognition, Charismatic Recognition and Involved Recognition.

This doesn’t mean merely saying “good job” – it requires active listening, focus and then using what you have actually heard to tell others what it is that a person or group has done – in detail; why it is important to the organization; and making certain that the person who has done the good work is recognized by everyone for what they have done.

LOOKING TO GREATNESS
Looking to greatness, the fourth habit of Contagious Leaders, is the habit of emphasizing strengths.

Looking to greatness focuses attention on what is possible; it builds confidence and trust, and reduces conflict, and creates the opportunity for a group of people to become a team. And it begins most importantly with knowing your people – I mean REALLY knowing them – the good, the bad and even the ugly.

VIBRANT COMMUNICATION
Vibrant Communication is the habit of effectively exchanging information, thoughts and feelings that build unity and enhance productivity. It is communication that is open, honest, early, frequent and congruent.

UNOBSTRUCTED VISION
Our sixth habit of Contagious Leadership is that of unobstructed vision – focusing attention on a clear and sensory-rich picture of the desired result.

A Contagious Leader holds three essential components of vision in high regard: clarity, commitment and communication. Whether the vision began with them is not important: they have embraced it and found a way to make it theirs. It is clear, and it pertains to what is possible; they share it publicly and declare their intentions to see it through to success.

TOUCHING LIVES
Touching Lives is the habit of truly knowing your most valuable assets – your people.

A PASSIONATE STAND
Our 8th habit practiced by Contagious Leaders is the habit of being fully expressed through a passionate stand.

Jack Welch, former chairman and CEO of General Electric once said that “The world will belong to passionate, driven leaders – people who not only have enormous amounts of energy, but who can energize those whom they lead.”

Passion is not about cheerleading – it is about what I call being out on the skinny part of the branches.

PERMISSION MENTORING
And now, our final habit – Permission Mentoring. Do you remember how I said at the beginning of the speech that a Contagious Leader was someone who believes fundamentally that their job is to create other leaders?

This ninth habit is the one in which basic essence takes life – it is the habit of ripening aspiring Contagious Leaders.

Through my studies of Contagious Leaders, I’ve identified 13 elements that make up this amorphous thing called character. They are outlined in detail in my book and on the website, and none of them will surprise you: attitude, authenticity, contribution, commitment, determination, drive, discipline, embracing change, focus, integrity, motivation, creating possibility, and risk.

We say it all the time –that character counts – but are we living it? Are we working on a daily basis to be better? Contagious Leaders are.

Articles by John Hersey:

• Jumping Off The Goal Train
  
• Have an UNREASONABLE New Year
  
• Avoiding The Velvet Noose
  
• The Character of A Winner
  
• Are You a Contagious Leader?